You've Got the Love
by GetPitchSlappedNeonTrees
Summary: Anubis House returns from Holiday Break to find a surprising new mystery; something unlike their usual mysteries. The latest mystery threatens the core of the main relationships and the mental stability of our favorite students.
1. Chapter 1: House of Returns

**You've Got the Love**

**Welcome back and Happy Easter! I would have uploaded earlier (seeing my Spring Break started about four days ago), but I had to go to a funeral and everything was hectic. **

**Anyways, to celebrate the sequel (and my first non-abandoned story), I'll upload two chapters! Keep in mind that the chapters are probably short; the chapters are fillers, and I hate writing fillers.**

**Oh, this story will have more Harmony, Peddie, and David storylines. **

**Summary: Anubis House returns from Holiday Break to find a surprising new mystery; something unlike their usual mysteries. The latest mystery threatens the core of the main relationships and the mental stability of our favorite students.**

**Chapter 1—House of Returns**

Harmony opened the cab door and sighed. Her newly dyed platinum blonde hair grew to her shoulders and her newly tanned skin (cruises were amazing!) glowed. She was back at Anubis for a, hopefully, drama-free rest of the year. But sadly, that wasn't the case; the students had left many questions unanswered and many relationships rocky. As far as she knew, Patricia and Eddie were strong, but Harmony still had feelings for the spiky-haired boy. And Patricia hated her more than ever.

And the Anubis students often updated their statues on Facebook, keeping each other informed. Patricia, Eddie, Nina, and Fabian stayed at Nina's house in North Carolina, before visiting Disney World for a few days. Alfie and Ryan visited Ryan's parents, in hopes that Ryan would rekindle her relationship with her parents. Amber went to Paris for the holidays, lonely as ever. The girl was very set on getting Alfie back and was in full-on scheming mode. Mara and Jerome spent Christmas with Jerome's family, since Mara's parents weren't as inviting. Evan and David escorted Harmony on the cruise, but left a week earlier. Harmony spent the week with her ill aunt, whom had completely changed Harmony. Evan went sightseeing in London, but David went to visit Aaron. And with Evan having his heart set on destroying Fabina (even after his "drunken" kiss with Joy), Harmony suspected that he was going to use Nina's past against her. And trust her; it wasn't pleasant.

Speaking of Joy, she finally told her parents about her acceptance into Yale. At first, they weren't pleased, but eventually got over it. Her family went to a fancy ski resort and apparently, she met her current boyfriend—a 22 year old college student. Evan constantly harassed her, but Joy brought up the drunken kiss and he shut up.

Mick suddenly disappeared, saying he got into a school in New Zealand. Most of the Anubis students glared at him, leaving Harmony confused.

Speaking of confusing times, Victor suddenly died of a heart attack. Everyone was devastated; even though the man was cold, he obviously cared for them. The funeral was only opened to the Anubis House, since Victor's children and grandchildren were dead. It was revealed that Victor was Nina's great-grandfather (Harmony thought that was nearly impossible) and was the sole heir to his inheritance, since Gran was her mother's mom. Victor left Nina a large sum of money, the Anubis House (if the house was ever left after the school closed), his house (who knew that Victor actually owned a house?!), his computer, and Corbiere.

Harmony entered Anubis House. "Hello, Trudy," She chirped as her high-heels sounded on the wooden floor.

Trudy nearly dropped her plate of brownies. "Harmony, is that you? Dear, you've dyed your hair!"

"Yes, I did," Harmony said, touching her hair. "How are you? Is the new caretaker here?"

"Well, I'm the caretaker and house mother," Trudy sighed, feeling the pressure of two positions on her shoulders. "But the room arrangements are the same, so you can go back upstairs and unpack."

Harmony smiled and headed upstairs. She opened the door and nearly screamed.

Nina blushed. "Oh my god!" She said and attempted to cover her chest. Fabian scampered from under her, blushing.

"I—I-," Fabian stammered.

"Get out," Harmony said, pointing at the door. He quickly obeyed, rushing out of the door. She turned back to Nina, a smirk intact. "So…"

"Don't even ask," Nina answered. "You're a blonde?!"

Harmony gingerly touched the ends of her hair. "Well, my aunt talked me into it. Sorry I broke our pact. But you looked like you were about to break your v-card."

"No, I wasn't," Nina blushed. "I'm still a virgin…at least, a half-virgin."

Harmony laughed. "Speaking of that, how are you going to deal with the Evan drama? He's out for blood."

"I don't know. I thought he was done with me; I heard that things with him and Joy got serious," Nina replied, putting her shirt back on.

"No, it was just a drunken kiss. He came here for a reason, Nina; he's here to either ruin your life or get you back."

Nina was silent. "Do you think he'll mention the…summer before freshman year?" She nervously asked. "If he does, I'm—"

"I don't think he'll go _that _low," Harmony attempted to assure her.

"It's Evan!" Nina cried, running a hand through her hair. "We have to stop him."

"Listen, Evan might be a sleazy jackass, but he wouldn't do that. He's probably going tell some low, embarrassing stories."

Nina sighed, nervously running a hand through her long locks. "I just hope so."

* * *

Evan pulled his new iPad out of his shoulder bag and checked his list. His plan was simple: to get his mind off of Joy, he would resume his purpose for his relocation to Liverpool—to get Nina back or destroy her. Evan was in full-on shady mode. His first mission was to cause some doubt in Fabina's relationship; Parent Day was coming up and Nina had yet to meet Fabian's parents. If his first mission failed, he would have to bring out the big guns—reveal Nina's terrible past. It was cruel, mean, and just plain awful. But this guy was a bag of cats; especially when love was concerned. But what was Evan confused about? Joy? Nina? What?

* * *

Ryan was giddy; her relationship with her parents was mended, her relationship with Alfie was on the right track, and her hair had grown out to the small of her back. She replaced the red streaks with a vibrant blue hue. She had thrown out the slightly depressing clothing and opted for lighter tank tops, leather jackets, skinny jeans, and—gasp—high heels.

The only problem on the horizon was Amber; she obviously wanted Alfie back and would take extreme measures.

But Amber wasn't going to rain on Ryan's parade; Ryan joined Sibuna, she actually had a decent GPA, and she had a fantastic boyfriend. Though, the new couple had yet to share their first kiss, the relationship was sailing smoothly.

"Hey, everybody! We're back!" Ryan shouted as she entered Anubis House with her arm looped through Alfie's. The couple set their suitcases down and entered the living room. No one was there, but a couple platters of cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and brownies were lined up on a table. Pitchers of lemonade and water were stationed next to the brownies. Alfie immediately orbited by the cookies, but Ryan looked around for her fellow classmates.

"Is anyone here?" Ryan asked Alfie, still glancing around. She took her leather jacket off and threw it carelessly on the couch. "Do you hear anyone, Alfie?"

"Mmjhklsj?" Alfie attempted to say, but his mouth was stuffed with cookies.

Ryan giggled. "You're so cute when you do that. Though, it's a little nerdy."

Alfie gulped, smiling. "Not like your brother; he's the nerdiest kid I've ever met!"

Ryan gasped, swatting Alfie's arm. "He's not that nerdy!" She protested, defending her newly reconciled family.

"Ry, his room is practically dedicated to Han Solo and Star Wars!" Alfie chuckled. He swiped a bit of frosting from the cupcakes and lightly tapped Ryan's nose.

She gasped, furiously wiping her nose. "You did not just do that!" She protested.

"And what if I did?" Alfie inquired.

Ryan smiled and leaned forward; this was it. This was the moment when they would finally kiss. Alfie also leaned forward, slightly closing his eyes. Their lips were only inches apart; Ryan could feel Alfie's cool breath of her lips. He was only a few centimeters away, and Ryan finally closed her eyes—

"Alfie!" Amber shrieked and practically threw herself between them. Her blonde hair had gotten longer, ending at her hips. Expertly-placed lowlights were carefully placed. As usual, Amber was sporting a pair of designer jeans, a pink sweater, and matching pumps. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"A-A-Amber," Alfie stammered, unsure of how to act around his pining ex-girlfriend. He wasn't sure how to react; he was annoyed at Amber for disrupting their kiss, but he wasn't cruel. He coughed. "I mean, how are you?" He calmly replied, his voice very measured and formal.

"Fine; Paris was amazing. But enough about me; though, I don't want to hear about you drab holidays in America, when you could have spent your holidays with your family in Italy." Amber sent a pointed look in Ryan's direction. "Here, I got you this," Amber chirped, handing him a small, rectangular box. "Actually, I got everyone a little something, but your gift is a little special."

Alfie opened the box and lifted up a silver and delicate watch. He almost dropped it as it slipped through his fingers.

"Watch it; that's pure silver," Amber hissed. "Check the engraving on the back. Well, I hope you like it." Then, she turned to Ryan. She gave her a snide and cunning look as she sauntered away in her heels.

Ryan seethed and snatched the watch from Alfie's hands. She turned it over and read, "For my Boo; love, Amber." She questioned. She threw the watch back and him. "Nice."

"Ry, don't be upset. It's not like I agreed to dump you and get back together with her," Alfie said.

Ryan snorted. "You know what? Forget it." And she stormed upstairs, carrying her bags.

Alfie sighed as his iPhone bleeped. He checked his phone to find a text from Jerome.

**Jerome.**

**Going down memory lane. Prank night?**

**Alfie.**

**Yes, please. Just had a fight with Ryan.**

**Jerome. **

**Ah, how is the relationship with the Goth-Turned-Serena van der Woodsen?**

**Alfie.**

**Mate, again with the Gossip Girl references.**

**Jerome.**

**You try spending holidays with Mara, Poppy, and the complete TV series of Gossip Girl.**

**Alfie.**

**Speaking of that, where are you?**

**Jerome.**

**Be there in 20. Mara and I are…uh, busy.**

**Alfie.**

**TMI.**


	2. Chapter 2: House of Newbies

**You've Got the Love**

**Chapter 2—House of Newbies**

"Gather around, children!" Trudy shouted from the staircase. She was carrying an iPad, her Christmas gift from of her fiancé, Ade. "Oh, how do you turn on this thing on?"

Harmony reached over to press the home button and the device lit up.

"Oh thank you, dear," Trudy said. "Okay, we will have a new student that will take over Mick's old room."

An awkward silence passed and the Sibuna members exchanged nervous glances.

"Yeah, whatever happened to that guy?" Harmony asked, curious. "Joy, weren't you guys dating?"

Joy paled, "I-I-I—"

"No, H, she's dating some fancy college student now," Evan added, rolling his eyes.

"No, I meant when Mick was here. Weren't you, Joy?" Harmony asked, turning to look at Joy.

"No, they broke up after he…betrayed her," Patricia answered, saving Joy from replying and possibly breaking down. "Anyways, what's about the newbie?" She asked Trudy, changing the subject.

Trudy blinked in confusion, but continued. "But first, Mara, your brother is a guest lecturer at the school."

Mara nearly tripped over her own feet. "Ezra? Why?" She turned to Jerome for support; Jerome's gears were turning in his head, but he had no damn clue.

"I don't know, but he will be rooming in the attic. Sorry, Ryan, but you'll have to room with someone else. Mr. Sweet's godson, Tobias, is taking the cellar," Trudy responded.

That caught Eddie's attention. "Godson?" He repeated. "He has a godson?"

"I thought he told you," Trudy replied. "Anyways, they'll be here for dinner. And it says here that Tobias is a little…bratty. So, don't hesitate to knock some sense into him…his words, not mine."

And with that last remark, Trudy hurried away to start dinner. The students were still frozen and gathered on the stairs.

It was Mara that ended the trance among the residents. "I'm going to call Ezra," She announced, heading back upstairs. Jerome quickly followed her.

"I need to see someone," Eddie said, distracted from the recent events. He grabbed his jacket and headed out into the snow.

Patricia sighed; he was finally going to see his father after the Feather of Truth incident. It was going to rough, both physically and emotionally. She just hoped that Eddie actually got answers.

* * *

"Nina," Evan said as he entered her room without knocking. Nina was on her bed, reading a book.

"You could've knocked," She answered, throwing a pillow at him. The pillow hit him in the face.

Instead of throwing the pillow back, he threw a bottle of pills at her. She caught him swiftly, but soon dropped them in surprise. Evan smirked and reached into his bag. He pulled out bottles of vodka, whisky, and wine; he set them on her nightstand and stood back.

Nina swallowed. "Where did you get those?"

"Well, remember when you had that…bad act the summer before freshman year? That was fun! Especially when you—"

"Why are you doing this?" Nina asked as she choked back sobs.

"Just getting revenge on you for dumping me for a One Direction wannabe," Evan replied. "If I can't have you, I'll make your life a living hell."

"You're crazy," Nina glared. "I thought you and Joy had a thing."

Evan's eyes darkened. "No, I resumed my purpose for coming to this hellish school—to either get you back, or destroy you. Your friends and boyfriend won't love you anymore, if they find out what you did three summers ago. Goodbye, Little Nins. Oh, and you better hide those Ecstasy pills and liquor." Evan winked and left.

Nina stood up with shaking hands and hid the pills and liquor. She grabbed her iPhone and curled up into a corner. Nina texted Harmony, before closing her eyes.

**Nina.**

**Help.**

* * *

"E, you can't do that!" Mara shouted, running a hand through her dark hair.

"Mars, it's decided. Mom and Dad want me to keep an eye on you and Jerome. I don't fully agree, but they offered to pay me…and I really need the money. The teaching job is great, but they offered me…my trust fund again. I'm behind on rent and-"

"I don't care! Your little sister should be more important than any sum of money!" Mara shouted as she paced around her room. She could feel Jerome's eyes on her, but she didn't care.

"Mara, they said that you had a pregnancy scare," Ezra quietly said.

Mara stopped pacing, her eyes wide. "How do they know about that? I didn't tell anyone!"

"Well, they know and they weren't pleased. Mara, we'll figure something out. I'll be there in a few; just calm down."

Mara hung up without another word and turned to Jerome. His eyes were wide. "Wait, you had a pregnancy scare?" He asked.

Mara sighed. "Yes, in November. I found out that I wasn't pregnant on the same day that Mick pushed me down the stairs."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Mara laughed, but without the humor. "We're teenagers! My family is shunning me and we don't have any money to raise a baby! I didn't want to ruin your life."

"But you still could have trusted me," Jerome quietly said. He sounded broken. He quickly got up and left the room.

Mara stared after him, before following him. "Jerome!" She called, trying to catch up to him.

"Mara, just leave me alone!" Jerome answered, but his voice was muffled.

"You don't get it!"

Jerome turned and Mara gasped. His eyes were red and he was crying. "No, you don't get it! I was lied to and manipulated my entire life! For once, can I trust my own girlfriend?" And with that, he ran downstairs.

And for once, Mara didn't chase after him. She thought about what Jerome said. And with a gasp, she realized that he was right.

* * *

Harmony rushed into the room and found Nina. Nina's eyes were red and puffy; her dirty blonde hair was curly and messy.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Evan…he found the liquor and pills," Nina rasped.

"No, I thought you hid them when you went to rehab. Where did you hide them?" Harmony asked, inspecting the pills and liquor.

"I buried them in the garden at the rehab center. There's no way he got to them; the rehab center was in New York."

Harmony cursed. "Evan left the cruise early. He said he was going to London for sightseeing, but I bet he went to New York."

"But how did he know where to look?"

"He probably talked to Iris," Harmony noted.

"Iris, my old roommate? But I didn't tell her…"

"Iris was a crazed stalker; she probably watched you all the time. When Iris saw Evan sneaking around, she probably tipped him off."

Nina gulped. "Evan said he was going to reveal my secret. It's over; I lose. Evan wins."

"Not so fast," Harmony smirked. "If Evan wants to play dirty, I guess we'll just have to play dirtier. Evan isn't so innocent either; he has one Achilles spot: Miss Joy Mercer."

Nina cracked a small smile. "Should we tell David?"

"No, he needs to focus on Aaron. I've never seen him so happy." Harmony dryly responded.

"How about you?" Nina asked. "Are you happy?"

* * *

David entered Anubis House, talking animating with his boyfriend, Aaron. "Remember when you fell into the pool?" David asked, taking his coat off.

"I slipped on my sister's toys!" Aaron defended himself. "It was legit!" He repeated as David started to laugh.

"David!" Evan shouted as he ran down the stairs and nearly crushed his twin. "How have you been? Oh my god, please don't tell me that you lost your virginity!"

David blushed and swatted his twin's arm. "Shut the hell up, E. See you later, Aaron. Thanks for walking me home."

Aaron's face was also red, but he just nodded and ducked out. When he was out of earshot, David nearly punched his brother. "Are you freaking serious?"

Evan was too busy laughing to notice David's feeble punches. "You should have seen your faces! Oh way, I can show you your face! Duh, I'm your twin!"

"Why did you ask that? Are you trying to make him break up with me? I. AM. STILL. A. VIRGIN." David shouted, hitting him for emphasis.

"Calm down, D. I was just joking." Evan said as he walked into his room. David rolled his eyes and entered his own room.

* * *

Ryan fell back onto her cot. "Remind me why a teacher is rooming in a crowded house of students?"

"My parents are idiots," Mara answered. Ryan opted to share with them; it wasn't like she had a problem with Nina or Harmony, but Amber was the bitch. She didn't have any problems with Joy, Patricia, and Mara. "It doesn't matter. My brother will be leaving in a few and you'll have your room back."

"How is Ezra? I thought he went to Oxford to be a lawyer?" Joy asked.

"He dropped out and pursued a teaching degree. My parents cut him off from his trust fund. But he soon ran out of money and my parents pounced on him. It's smart and cunning."

"He was seriously cute," Joy thought aloud.

Mara opened her mouth to reply, but she was cut off when everyone's phones rang. Joy, Patricia, and Mara pulled out their iPhones while Ryan pulled out her HTC Windows Phone 8X.

"Am I the only one in the house that doesn't have an iPhone?" Ryan asked, noticing their iPhones.

"No, I think Trudy has a Blackberry," Mara said, trying to make Ryan feel better.

"No, her fiancé bought her an iPhone," Patricia added.

Ryan ignored Patricia's quip. "It's a video from Mandi."

Mandi appeared on the screen, petting her devil dog as usual. "Hello, idiots. Congrats for not dying from alcohol poisoning during break. As you may know, I'm graduating this year and someone needs to take my place as student body president, senior coordinator, prom coordinator, and Queen Bee over the entire school. The old tradition used to be that the Junior Queen Bee would assume the throne and so on. But this year, we're shaking things up. The current Queen Bees will have competition; girls were nominated during break on my website. The freshman nominees are Hanna Bell, Katie Paxton, Elizabeth Fletcher, and current Eighth Grade Queen Bee, Remy Baker. The sophomore nominees are Poppy Clarke, Jennifer Williams, Victoria Foster, and current Freshman Queen Bee, Irene Reed. The junior nominees are Felicity Gold, Morgan Lewis, Quinn Baker, and current Sophomore Bee, Simone Moors. The senior nominees are Penelope Adams, Nina Martin, Ryan Chadwick, and current Junior Queen Bee, Amber Millington. Good luck, nominees."

Two moments passed and the girls heard Amber's scream.

"Ryan, it would be smart to run," Joy laughed.

* * *

"What about the club in downtown Liverpool?" Eddie asked, typing away at his laptop.

"What about a quiet and sexy night at home?" Patricia suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"Patricia, don't you want to celebrate your birthday with your friends?" Eddie asked.

Patricia was silent, before she spoke up. "I wouldn't call Harmony a friend."

"What happened between you and Harmony, anyways? I asked Nina, but she didn't tell me."

"I…slapped her," Patricia admitted. "She was jealous that I moved back into the house. She had a weird, school-girl crush on you and I think she still likes you."

"But did you have to slap her?" Eddie asked, stunned at Patricia's actions.

"She mentioned that you guys were close to having sex at Mandi's Halloween Party," Patricia quietly added.

Eddie paused. "Patricia, I was drunk…"

"No, I get it. I was sending you mixed signals and Harmony was there."

"Patricia," Eddie started.

Patricia got up. "Go ahead and book a club. I have to go."

"Patricia," Eddie called, but Patricia left his room.

* * *

Ezra Jaffray prided himself on books, looks, and brains. But he would've never expected to be cut off after he pursued a different career. Now, he forced to keep his sister and her boyfriend apart for money. But was money worth seeing his sister upset?

But he was drowning in debts and barely had enough to eat. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

* * *

Dinner was awkward; Ezra and Tobias were late and everyone was antsy. Trudy served her homemade pizza with garlic bread, but everyone couldn't stop glancing at the door.

Also, the seating arrangements were unusual. Mara and Jerome weren't sitting next to each other, Patricia and Eddie weren't sitting next to each other, and Ryan, Alfie, and Amber were seated at opposite ends of the table.

"So, how's your boyfriend, Joy?" Harmony asked. Joy opened her mouth to reply, but Evan answered for her.

"Oh, that pervert from Oxford?" Evan scoffed.

"He's not a pervert," Joy protested.

"Then, why is he dating a 17 year-old girl from Liverpool?"

"E, how did your sightseeing in London go? It seems like you learned a lot about England." Nina coyly asked. Fabian gave her a confused look.

"It was fine," Evan curtly replied.

"Really? How did you get to London from the Caribbean? I checked all flights and there wasn't a single flight to London. However, there was a flight to New York," Nina raised an eyebrow.

Evan paled; Harmony and Nina knew that he got the pills and liquor from Nina's rehab in New York.

"What's going on?" Fabian asked, confused.

The door opened.

* * *

**It's their first day back and the drama almost started up immediately! Sigh; such a pity! **

**-Morgan**


	3. Chapter 3: House of Clubs

**You've Got the Love**

**Meg: Thanks for reading! Everyone's reviews keep my writing!**

**Tabyylynn: I'm glad you like it!**

**Drmiracle: Well, it's not like Aria and Ezra, but the character Ezra (Mara's bro) will make appearances in a few chapters!**

**Guest 1: Thank you!**

**Guest 2: Thank you!**

**DesiredHOA01: There will be more Peddie in this story than the original!**

****** : Well, thanks for reading!**

**ScrewStereotypes: Yup, I love Florence + the Machine! That's what I was going for! Thanks; I try and make my characters flawed, like real people are.**

**Um, someone asked me if I watch the show. No, I stopped after Nina left. Not just because of her departure, but because of the crappy storylines. Though, I commend the writers for giving Patricia a bigger role. **

**I do read recaps on Tumblr, but I'm not as invested. Some people say that my story is better than the series; I doubt that (I'm not a pro writer), but thanks for the compliment! I do think that when the writers are out of ideas, they read our fanfiction.**

**When I'm writing the story, I think of a mature, less-mystery involved version of the show.**

**Oh, sorry this update took so long! I had an academic decathlon invitational and placed third in Social Studies! The topic was Ancient Greece, and the team did pretty well! **

**Also, I had bad writer's block.**

**As some of my fellow readers might know, I recently published a story, "Anything Could Happen". It is surprisingly popular, but I'm having trouble with the pairings. As I stated before, I rarely watch the show. But my friends have informed me of Jeroy. At first, I was like **_**what**_**? What happened to Jara (which I still think was crappy—Jerome pining after Mara for two years and then dating Willow? Come on!)? But I've grown to ship the couple. But for this story, I don't know whether to pair Jerome with Joy or Mara. I want to try my hand at writing Jeroy and Mickra. I could have a love rectangle with Jerome, Mara, Joy, and Mick, but I need endgames! I used to always put Jara and Moy together. But I'm stuck. So I put a poll on my page. You can vote for endgames and I'll end the poll in two weeks. You can vote for two endgames. For example, if you want Jara and Moy, you select them (you can choose two). If you want Jeroy and Mickra, you choose them. So, vote and vote and vote! :D**

**This is a long chapter! Peddie fluff! A beating for Tobias? A secret about Ryan and Nina? What? Start reading…now!**

**WAIT! I hope you read my ridiculously long A/N. Sorry, but I had to report a lot of news! :D**

**Okay, we're back to the chapter.**

**Chapter 3—House of Clubs**

A boy entered and quickly closed the door as snow blew in. He shook his head and scoffed. He didn't even notice the teens' gazes on him.

"You must be Tobias," Trudy greeted him, setting down the pan and wiping her hands.

"That's me," He replied, entering. He was wearing a snug, expensive coat. His white-blond hair reached to the nape of his neck, but he didn't nervously tug at it like other guys did. His icy blue eyes were intimidating; this guy had confidence. "You must be the maid."

Trudy's smile dissipated. "I'm the housemother and caretaker. You will treat me with respect."

Tobias held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry," He said, but he didn't sound regretful. He sat in an empty seat and glanced around at his housemates. "So," he leaned forward. "Which beautiful girl am I sharing a room with?"

"No," Trudy answered sharply. "You will be staying in the cellar."

"The cellar?" Tobias repeated.

"Yes, the cellar," Patricia spoke up. "The place below this level…"

Tobias chuckled. "I'm not stupid." He responded, narrowing his eyes.

"Couldn't have fooled me."

"Ah, a feisty auburn," He leaned back. "I like that."

"Would you like my fist on your face?" Eddie inquired. Of course he was jealous; he was protective of Patricia. Especially around overly confident assholes.

Tobias finally casted his attention on a figure other than a female; he scowled as soon as his eyes gazed upon Eddie. "And you must be the jealous boyfriend! I heard you were Sweet's son; that must be terrible!"

Eddie couldn't come up with a good comeback, so he glared. "What classes are you taking? How to Be a Jackass 101?"

Tobias laughed. "That's the best you can do?" He turned to Patricia. "Why are you still with him?"

"Well, this is getting awkward," Nina coughed. "Excuse me," She said, getting up. But Tobias smacked her ass, stopping her in her tracks. She turned back to slap Tobias, but Fabian beat her to the punch; quite literally.

Fabian shoved Tobias and had Tobias pinned up against a wall. "Don't touch my girlfriend," He practically shouted as he pulled back by Jerome and Alfie. Tobias smirked as he touched his bloody lip.

"Well done; you have passed my test. You all are emotionally unstable, dramatic teenagers. And I like drama, considering I'm the main cause of it. I think I'll stay," Tobias smirked. "And to congratulate you, I'm taking you guys out clubbing tomorrow for Patricia's birthday. Don't look so surprised; I hacked into the school files."

Ryan shook her head. "I can't believe you…stalker."

"Stalker? That's too harsh of a word! I pride myself on being clever, much like a detective," Tobias grinned. "Well, this dinner was absolutely horrible. I think I'm going to unpack." And he disappeared down to the cellar.

"Can we lock him in there?" Eddie asked, glaring at the door.

* * *

The front door opened and a tall, tanned man with hipster glasses, dark brown hair, and brown eyes stumbled into the foyer. He was carrying one suitcase, which barely looked full.

"Ezra." Mara greeted as she stood up. "My room…now," She demanded, taking his bag out of his hand and dragging him upstairs.

When they finally reached the safety of her room, she finally let her emotions show. "So, I guess your trust fund is more to you than your own sister," She hissed.

"Mara, I can barely pay rent. What was I supposed to do?" Ezra pleaded.

"You could have asked me! I have money saved up; I wouldn't have turned on you, like you did me."

"Mara, I didn't turn on you!" Ezra protested, running a hand through his dark hair. "Don't you see my plan? I'm going to spy on you, report what I see, "break" you and Jerome up, get my trust fund back, drain it, you and Jerome get back together, and they can't do anything about it. That way, I get my money and you get your boyfriend."

"Ez, that's too devious—almost illegal. I rather you back out—"

"Damnit, Mara!" Ezra shouted. "This isn't always about you!" He strode towards her, his fists curled. Mara backed up, holding up her hands to protect her. "You selfish, little—"

Mara's bedroom door slammed open and Ezra whirled around, surprised. Jerome stood before him, fire in his eyes. "What were you about to say?" Jerome asked, his voice calm, but steely. Mara heard him trying to contain his anger; he was practically using all of the self-control he had.

"Nothing," Ezra replied. "Now get out of here; this is between my sister and me."

"It sounds like you were about to hit her," Jerome responded. "I'll give you one more chance; what were you about to say?"

"Look, I'm trying to save your stupid relationship with my sister. I was just raising my voice at her, but she was acting like a—"

Ezra didn't finish his sentence because Jerome socked him in his right eye. Ezra's glasses fell off of his face and landed, one frame broken. Mara shrieked and bumped into Ryan's cot. She nearly fell back, but held herself up.

Ezra groaned as he stumbled around for his glasses. Jerome swiftly grabbed Mara's hand and led her into Nina's, Amber's, and Harmony's room. He locked the door and turned to her. "The way you spoke about Ezra made it seem like he was a nice guy; that obviously wasn't the case," Jerome said.

Mara glanced down. "Sometimes, he was physically and emotionally abusive, but I thought that was normal. That's why I haven't spoken to him in about four years."

"Mara, we should tell someone about this," Jerome spoke up.

"And do what? It's our word against his. And he might say, we're just playing around. And he is family," Mara said. "I know how special family is to you." And Mara started to leave the room, glancing back at him. She gave him a small smile as she exited.

And with that small smile, everything was forgiven. But everything wasn't forgotten.

* * *

Patricia hated to celebrate her birthday. Her birthday was usually overshadowed by Piper's accomplishments. But she wanted to celebrate her 17th birthday; she had great friends, a boyfriend, and her sister wasn't ruining her life…for once. So in the morning, she texted her sister a 'happy birthday' message; that was the only contact she usually had with her sister.

Trudy made her favorite breakfast, promising an equally amazing dinner. Tobias was out, making preparations for Patricia's party. It was weird; he barely knew her, but he was throwing her a grand party. Eddie thought it was a bit fishy, but Patricia let her walls down for a second. Everyone promised to give their gifts at dinner, but Eddie would present his gift at lunch.

"This is either the weirdest or sweetest thing you have done," Patricia said, studying where they were. It was the site where they shared their first kiss. Eddie had set up a picnic lunch and was sheepishly smiling at her. Then, she turned serious. "I'm sorry for blowing up at you."

"No, it's my fault. Before I met you, I had commitment issues. Maybe it was because I watched my mother's and father's mess up their relationship. Or because my father was never around—that's a great role model, huh?" Eddie laughed without humor.

"Eddie, it's okay," Patricia said.

"No, it isn't. Not until I give you this," Eddie replied, standing up. He pulled something out of his pocket; it was a jewelry box.

Patricia gasped. "Eddie, we're only—"

Eddie opened the box. "Oh, hush, Yacker. It isn't an engagement ring; it's a promise ring. This is me making a commitment—my first in…forever."

Patricia stood up to look Eddie in the eyes. The ring had a silver band and a small diamond in the middle. Eddie turned the ring over to reveal red engraving: _I love you, Yacker._

Tears started to stream down her face. She had never cried in front of anyone, but Nina and Piper; Nina caught Patricia when she stubbed her toe. And Piper witnessed a nine year old Patricia crying when she watched the video of their birth. Patricia didn't want to see that side of her mother…ever.

"Pats, are you crying?" Eddie asked, chuckling.

"No, I'm pissing from my eyes."

"Whatever you say, Trixie. Do you like it?"

"I love it," Patricia whispered. She almost knocked him over when she hugged him. He pressed his lips to hers as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

* * *

"A promise ring? How romantic!" Amber exclaimed as she, Patricia, Mara, and Nina got ready for Patricia's birthday party. "I swear; you guys are going to get married straight out of high school."

"I doubt that," Patricia laughed. "Krueger barely knows how to tie his shoe!"

"Patricia, I think he really loves you. You'll only see this kind of love in movies…or novels…or movies about novels…" Nina giggled. "Either way, you guys are so cute—"

The door opened and Harmony entered. Everyone stopped talking as Patricia avoided Harmony's eyes.

Unlike most of the girls there, Harmony was actually dressed. She was wearing a pair of silver-and-gold metallic shorts, a sheer blouse, a black blazer, and gold sandals. Her platinum blonde hair was braided to the side. Though it was winter, it was uncharacteristically warm in Liverpool that night.

"Just getting my eyeliner," Harmony dryly said, grabbing her makeup bag. But as she left, she stared at Patricia from over her shoulder.

"Well, that was awkward," Amber announced. "Do you think she was listening from outside?"

"Amber, we're in high school, not elementary school," Nina rolled her eyes. "We can be the responsible ones and stop talking about it."

"Yeah, we should just stop talking about it," Patricia repeated. "Amber, where did you put my dress?"

"Oh, that was your dress? I thought it was one of Victor's stuffed dogs again," Amber said, casually applying lip gloss. "Oh, well! I threw it away."

"You threw away my dress?!" Patricia shrieked as she lunged at Amber. Luckily for Amber, Nina and Mara held Patricia back.

"No worries," Amber smiled, ignoring Patricia's steely glare. "I bought you a new one. Happy birthday!" She cheered, handing Patricia a bag.

Patricia reluctantly grabbed the bag and pulled the dress out. It was a beautiful dress; it was cute and tolerable for Patricia. The black, silky dress fell to her knees. A lacy sash was tied around the waist. A pair of red heels was also in the bag; though, the heels were at least three inches. And Patricia wasn't sure if she could walk in anything taller than one inch.

"Well, thank you for the dress. But I'm still mad at you for throwing away my dress," Patricia said after a minute.

Amber rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I threw everyone's dresses away."

"YOU WHAT?!" Nina and Mara shouted.

Amber was taken aback at their outburst. "I'm just trying to help you. Mara, your dress looked like you were going to a juvenile's birthday party, not a club. Nina, seriously? Flats to a club? I know you're going to dance, but at least wear two-inch sandals. Mara, you're now wearing this," Amber smiled, pulling out a curve-hugging, Oscar de la Renta dress.

"Amber! I'm not a slut!" Mara protested, blushing.

"Agree to disagree," Amber dismissed her with a wave of a hand. "Now, go and change." Amber said, pushing Mara into her walk-in closet. "And Nina, you're wearing 7 for Mankind skinny jeans, an off-shoulder shirt, and strappy sandals. You can thank me after Fabian practically jumps you. Go and change! Go!"

"And what are you wearing, Ms. Fashion Guru?" Nina asked.

"Me? Oh, just the usual," Amber beamed.

* * *

"So, what's going on between you and Evan?" Harmony asked as they got ready. Joy looked up from her as she put on earrings. She was wearing sky-blue jeans, a white tank top, and matching heels. Her glossy hair was curled and pulled into a ponytail.

"Nothing," She said. "I'm dating Caleb and everything is fine."

"How about Evan? He wouldn't stop talking about you during the cruise. He even turned down a blonde; how crazy is that?" Harmony said.

Joy was silent until Ryan spoke up. "Speaking of devious blondes, do you know what Amber did? She gave everyone a bracelet except for me! And she had Alfie's bracelet engraved! How sick is that?!"

"Well, you look hot, Ryan. Hotter than Amber; and to prove it, you should totally challenge her for Queen Bee," Harmony suggested.

"You think so?" Ryan asked, examining her outfit. She was wearing dark blue leggings that matched her highlights. A silver tank top contrasted with her tanned skin. Silver pumps adored her feet. Her naturally dark hair was in a tight ponytail; her eyes were smoky and catlike.

"Amber needs to know that she and Alfie are over. Take control of your life, Ryan."

* * *

"I know this house is notorious for drama, but is it also famous for incredibly long dress changes?" Tobias whined as everyone waited on the birthday gal, Mara, Nina, and Amber. David and Aaron were already at the club, offering to set up. "If you don't come down in twenty seconds, we're leaving without you! The limo drivers are getting very impatient!"

"Sorry, but some people are slowpokes! Mara, if you don't go downstairs, I swear I'll push you down there myself!" Amber snapped.

"But Amber, I look ridiculous—ow!" Mara shrieked as Amber practically pushed her down the stairs.

Everyone's jaws dropped. Mara's naturally curly hair was straightened, and her beautiful brown eyes were embellished with eye shadow and eyeliner. The dress ended at mid-thigh and showed off her long legs.

"I know, I look like a freak," Mara rolled her eyes. "And you can thank Amber—"

"Mara, you look beautiful," Jerome interrupted, wrapping his arms around her.

She glanced up, surprised. "Really?" He answered her question with a kiss.

"Oh, god, they're making out," Patricia called as she descended the stairs. Eddie's jaw dropped. Her hair was straightened and twisted into a braid. And she was wearing his promise ring.

"Holy shit," Eddie whispered as she smirked and neared him. She gently pressed his jaw up.

"You'll catch flies," She whispered, smiling.

"Tobias, I swear I will kick you in the ass," Nina called as she also descended the stairs.

It was like first year prom when Fabina was on the verge of forming. As she walked down the stairs, Fabian fell in love with her even more. He didn't need to say that she looked beautiful; they communicated with just warm smiles and lingering gazes. But of course, the jackass had to ruin the moment.

Tobias smirked. "You are actually quite popular and easy to find on YouTube. And  
I'm the proud procurer of an unknown secret of yours."

Nina glared at him as everyone glanced between them, confused. Even Evan had a puzzled look. He didn't remember telling Tobias about Nina's addiction.

"Nina, what is he talking about?" Fabian asked, confused.

Nina cleared her throat. "Amber, where are you? We have to leave!"

* * *

The club was in full-swing by the time they got there. David and Aaron met them at the door, but David looked loopy. Aaron had to practically support David, but David wouldn't stop moving.

"David? Are you drunk?" Nina asked, feeling his face.

"Of course he is," Tobias rolled his eyes. "And he's about to—"

Everyone stepped back as David puked all over the pavement. As soon as it looked safe, Nina carefully picked him up, with Aaron's assistance.

"Take him home, give him tea, and when he wakes up, give him medicine," Nina instructed.

"This isn't the first time David got drunk. You should have seen his Sweet 16," Evan chuckled. Then, he was distracted by a tall, supermodel-looking woman. She waved at him, beckoning him to the bathroom. "I'll be back," He whispered, smirking and following her.

Joy frowned as she observed them. Harmony glanced at her, as if she pitied her. Joy turned away, embarrassed. "Well, what are you standing around for? Let's dance!" Joy suddenly shouted, heading towards the dance floor.

"Are you going to reveal your secret now?" Tobias continued, pulling out his phone. "Or should I show them myself?"

Nina paled as Harmony grabbed her hand. Fabian glanced at her, but grabbed Tobias's phone.

"…You never told us that you were a dancer!" Tobias cheered as the video rolled.

"Dancer?" Nina and Harmony chorused, taking the phone from Fabian's hands. They began to laugh.

"You were a dancer?" Fabian asked, shocked. Like a few months ago, he knew almost nothing about her life in America.

It was a video they filmed during the summer. It was to the tune of "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift **(1)**. Nina, Harmony, and two other friends were bored at the dance studio. The song had just come out, so you couldn't turn the radio on without hearing the song. Since they were bored, Nina choreographed a short dance. They put it on YouTube, and it got major hits.

"Oh, it was a bored summer evening. I had a friend film it," Nina blushed. "I tried to forget the video; it was pretty sensual…"

"Well, do you mind showing us? Surely, your dance moves haven't dwindled," Tobias smirked. "Or have they?"

Nina's jaw dropped, but she soon recovered. She glared at him. "Well, let's do the dance!"

Harmony and Fabian both protested, but Nina only heard Harmony's response. "Nina, that's a great idea, but we need two other people that know the dance."

"Oh, that's right. I'm going to talk to Ryan; I heard she was a dancer, too," Nina said, darting off towards the bar.

"Nina doesn't have to do this. Plus, I don't want people looking at her…you know…" Fabian trailed off.

"Fabian, she's an individual. She's going to do whatever she wants."

"I know, but I don't want her to get hurt. All of things have happened and all of things will happen. I don't want to see her hurt again," Fabian said.

Harmony opened her mouth to reply, but Nina interrupted them with her excited squeal. She had Ryan and Joy in tow.

"I got the DJ to play the song," She said as the song began. "Joy and Ryan know the dance, so they're going to do it with us!"

"Great," Harmony smiled, but she couldn't help, but muse about what Fabian meant.

* * *

Tobias had never been so shocked before in his life. Even though he had private jets, private strippers, and many lady "friends", he had never been so engaged in anything as interesting as Harmony.

He was so busy with his discovery of Nina's little secret that he didn't notice Harmony in the video. And boy, did she dance. Her hips suggestively swayed and her hair came out of her braid. She looked happy, but a devious smile appeared on her lips when she realized that Tobias was watching her.

"Well, Tobias, you look like you have a story to tell," Harmony drawled as she sat next to him.

He chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. But he quickly discarded it. "That's for me to know, and you to figure out." And he got up, trying to rid himself of Harmony's enticing scent. He found another girl at the bar, looking lonely. "I'm Tobias, and you are?"

The woman scoffed as a burly man came up behind her. "You flirting with my woman?" He angrily shouted.

"Easy, I was just talking to her, big guy," Tobias smirked, patting the guy on his shoulder.

But the other guy wasn't done. He grabbed Tobias by his jacket and punched him. Tobias stumbled back, but the guy still had a hold on him. The guy smashed Tobias's face into the bar. Tobias shoved him back, before security grabbed the other guy, escorting him and the other woman out.

Tobias couldn't see out of his eye, but he felt someone pulling him away. He smelled Harmony's scent and nearly groaned. He heard the familiar creak of the bathroom door.

"Here," Harmony whispered, handing him a wet towel. He applied to it his eye, wincing. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking; I was doing," He protested. "And I don't need your help."

"Sure; tell that to your black eye, split lip, and bruises," Harmony scoffed, turning him so he could study his reflection in the mirror.

His skin was deadly pale and the bruises stuck out. For once, he didn't respond with a snarky reply or a smirk. He was silent as she tended to his injuries. As she leaned in to clean a nasty cut, their eyes and lips met.

This wasn't the first time that Tobias had made out with a girl in the bathroom. But this time, he actually had feelings for the girl—a girl he had known for about 24 hours.

But as they kissed, everything was forgotten. But as everything was forgotten, one thing led to another and soon enough, Tobias and Harmony were doing the horizontal humpty dumpty in the bathroom.

Well, Tobias sure fitted in with the Anubis House—within 24 hours, he had already gotten into a mess.

**Well, this is my longest chapter to date! It's just over 4,000 words! But wow, wasn't the wait worth it? You have two new characters: a devious blonde and a time bomb of a brother. Also, two blondes doing it in the bathroom and trouble in paradise! My, my! I think this chapter is enough for tonight (this chapter and chapter 4 will blow your mind and be too much drama to handle!), so I'll post chapter 4 tomorrow! :D**

**First reference/footnote: If you look up Selena Gomez's YouTube, she has a video of her and her friends dancing to "I Knew You Were Trouble". I'm attempting to learn it, but I so need partners! **


	4. Chapter 4: House of Oldies

**You've Got the Love**

**Parent Day!**

**Chapter 4—House of Oldies**

Nina brushed off her jeans as she stood up. She grabbed the hanging plants from the side of the house. A blizzard was expected and the plants probably wouldn't survive the roaring winds and hail. Trudy had meetings and was overworked, so Nina offered to do some housework.

But Nina didn't notice her boyfriend sneaking up on her. She nearly screamed when she felt a pair of hands on her waist. She faced Fabian and swatted his arm. "Fabian! Don't scare me like that!" Nina laughed.

"What, it's a crime for a guy to see his beautiful girlfriend?!" Fabian joked as Nina wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You know, I've always wanted to kiss in the snow," Nina suggested, pointing to the falling, but light snow.

"Your wish is my command," Fabian smiled and leaned in. But behind Nina, he spotted something. His eyes widened and he felt time slow down.

Nina was confused when he stopped leaning in. She realized that someone was behind her and she attempted to turn around. But Fabian swung her right back around and stopped her with a mind-blowing kiss. She forgot about the mysterious figure behind her and melted into the kiss.

The figure strolled away and Fabian sighed in relief as he continued kissing Nina. But no one noticed Evan watching the scene unfold. He had a sly smirk on his face; Plan A was here.

* * *

Evan walked down the hallway, humming some Ke$ha song he heard on the radio. He passed Tobias, whom was walking out of Patricia's room. Tobias stopped to glance at him.

"You're too chipper; something's up," Tobias snapped. "And I want in on it; there hasn't been much drama since the club. This school is so boring," He groaned. "God, I can't believe I'm begging for drama!"

"Calm down, Georgina Sparks," Evan smirked. "Nothing is going on." And Evan sauntered down the hallway, whistling.

"Yeah, right," Tobias muttered. "Well, if you want something done, you have to do it yourself."

* * *

"Okay, what's the emergency?" Patricia asked as she entered Fabian's room. Joy, Alfie, Amber, Mara, and Jerome sat in a circle around Fabian. "And what's with the reunion?"

"She's back," Fabian mumbled as he nervously tugged at the carpet.

"Who's back?" Patricia asked, confused. She sat and exchanged equally confused glances with everyone.

"My mother," Fabian repeated.

It was silent as the news sunk in. They were the Original Anubis Students; everyone in the group started off in the house as eighth graders. Everyone knew about Fabian's family, and Fabian knew about their own family issues. In comparison, they were like the Non-Judging Breakfast Club from Gossip Girl; they might fight and have rivalries, but in the end of the day, they were still there for each other.

"She must be back for Parent Day," Jerome mused.

"But I didn't invite her," Fabian protested.

"Well, someone must have," Joy insisted.

"Maybe she got a letter or something. Does Nina know?" Mara asked.

"No, I didn't tell her anything. Nina didn't see her either," Fabian answered.

"So, we need to keep her away from Nina," Alfie noted.

"Well, the only way to do that is to confront her," Joy remarked. "Do you know where she's staying?"

"All of the parents are staying at the Ra House," Jerome helpfully added. "Should we all confront her?"

"No, I need to do this alone," Fabian said as he stood up. He wiped his clammy hands on his jeans. He looked paler than usual, and his eyes nervously darted from one object to another.

"At least let us walk you there," Mara pleaded, also standing up. "She won't hurt you anymore if we're there."

Fabian laughed, but his laugh was harsh and sarcastic. "What if you're not there? I need to do this alone…before she finds out about Nina."

* * *

In the living room, Nina was watching Saturday Night Live on her laptop and drinking hot chocolate. Nina laughed at a hilarious sketch involving Jennifer Lawrence, and a voice joined her.

Tobias sidled up next to her, still laughing. "You like Saturday Night Live, too?" He asked, grabbing a stool. He sat, still staring at her.

"Well, apparently, it's traditionally American," Nina laughed. "How does your face…and your eye…and your lip feel?"

"Well, my face feels better, I can finally see out of my left eye, but my lip isn't doing so well," Tobias replied, getting closer.

"No?" Nina asked, oblivious.

"I think I need a kiss," Tobias whispered and leaned forward.

Nina panicked and grabbed the closest thing she could grasp: her hot chocolate. She picked it up and threw it at his face.

He fervently wiped his face as the hot liquid ran down his face. "What the hell?" He sputtered.

"Why did you try to kiss me?" Nina shouted, standing up. "I have a boyfriend, and he'll be happy to kick your ass!"

"I was joking, god!" Tobias responded. "I just wanted to get a rise out of you! And shit, it worked!"

Nina didn't let her guard down. "Here," She coldly replied, not believing him. She handed him a wet towel.

"Wow, you're so nice! Fabian's one lucky guy!" He scoffed. "God, how hot was this?"

"Just took it out," Nina smugly replied. "Did it affect your black eye?"

"No, just a few cuts and bruises," Tobias answered, checking his appearance in a nearby mirror.

"Damnit; I was aiming for the eye," Nina said, clicking her tongue disappointingly. "Well, I'm going to enjoy SNL in peace."

"Can I be your Seth to your Amy?" Tobias called after her.

Nina flipped him off as she grabbed her coat and left the house. Her finger remained up until she disappeared down the walkway.

Tobias chuckled. That girl was something.

* * *

Nina was on her way to the Frobisher Library when she spotted Fabian. He was walking towards Ra House, but he looked nervous. She could practically sense his trepidation from far away.

"Fabian?" She called, running to catch up with him. He turned, surprised to see her. He glanced back at Ra House and cursed. Curtains fluttered by the main window.

"Nina? What are you doing here?" He asked, glancing back at the house. "I thought you were watching TV."

"I was, but Tobias was being a jerk. Long story short, I threw hot chocolate in his face. I wanted to finish SNL in peace, so I was heading towards Frobisher Library. Why are you at Ra House?" She asked.

"Uh, I got paired with Rob for an Econ project," Fabian fumbled for a lie, but successfully pulled it off. Years with Sibuna increased his lying abilities.

"That's weird; I thought Rob lived in Isis House," Nina asked, but paused. She stared behind Fabian, but Fabian didn't need to turn; he already knew who was there.

"Hello, love," Diane Rutter smirked as she finally came face-to-face with her estranged son and his girlfriend. "And you must be?"

* * *

Amber strolled past Ryan's temporary room, but no one was there. She backtracked and smirked; it's scheming time. Amber adjusted her elbow-length gloves and started to snoop. She rummaged through Ryan's bag and found nothing. She lifted her pillow and gasped. It was like heaven; Amber had access to both Ryan's diary and cell phone.

Who knew the tough girl had a diary? Amber slipped the book and Ryan's phone into her bag and left the room, giggling like a maniac.

When Amber reached the safety of her own room, she opened the diary. She started to read Ryan's loopy penmanship.

_Aug 12, 2012_

_Kale is gone. He's now in the Johnsons' care. I am nothing to him. My parents are still disappointed in me. Mom can't even look me in the eye. Dad hates me. And my own brother avoids me. My friends desert me in a time of need. I can't trust anyone. Or love anyone. Only Kale._

Below was a picture of a baby. The baby had familiar dark hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. But the picture wasn't the most important thing. On the back, in tiny letters, was an inscription of sorts.

_Kale Chadwick:_

_Mother—Ryanna Joanne Chadwick_

Amber nearly dropped the diary in shock. Ryan was a teenage mother? Was the reason behind her tough defense mechanism?

For a second, Amber felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. She had gone through a lot; was this worth it? The humiliation could practically kill her.

Amber sighed; she had to do the right thing. Quietly, she returned the diary and phone to Ryan's room. But she pulled out her own iPhone as she exited the room.

**Amber.**

**We need to talk.**

* * *

Nina blinked in surprise. "Oh, I'm—"

"And you were just leaving," Fabian interrupted, glaring at his mother. "I'll talk to you later," He added.

Diane raised an eyebrow. "Oh, she doesn't know about me!" She realized with a gleeful smile.

"I don't know about what?" Nina asked, glancing at her boyfriend. "Fabian, what's going on?"

"Dear, I'm his mother. And he hasn't spoken to me in five years," Diane smirked. "And I suppose you're the reason why."

"You know why I haven't spoken to you!" Fabian practically yelled. "Why are you even here? I didn't invite you," He added, coldly.

"I got an invite from one of your friends. Kevin…no, it wasn't Kevin. Edwin…no…Evan! It was Evan!" Diane recalled.

"Evan?" Nina spoke up. "He called you?"

"He said there was something I needed to see," Diane answered.

"Well, there isn't anything to see. Now, get the hell out of here," Fabian said.

Diane smiled, before pressing an envelope into his hands. And she entered the house without another word.

Nina stared at him, before walking away. And for once, Fabian didn't chase her. Instead, Fabian opened the envelope.

Bundles of cash were compressed into the tiny envelope. A note was stuck to the front of the envelope.

It read: _End it, and you'll get a reward._

* * *

"What do you want, Amber?" Ryan asked as she entered Amber's room. Amber was seated at her bed, but she pulled a small table in front of her. Two cups of tea were warm and ready; little pitchers of honey and sugar flanked on either side. "What the hell? Is this a tea party?" Ryan questioned.

"Take a seat," Amber gestured. Ryan gave a confused look; Amber usually replied with snarky responses, not a quiet instruction.

"You're not going to poison me, are you?" Ryan said as she reluctantly sat across from the blonde.

"No, that's in my plans for next week," Amber replied. "Speaking of my plans, this week's plans included trying to sabotage you—"

"Wait, you're trying to sabotage me?" Ryan exclaimed after she took a tentative sip from the tea. "What the hell is your problem?"

Amber rolled her eyes. "I know your dirty secret," She said after a long pause. "Oh, and sorry for the _pregnant_ pause," She smirked. "Oh, don't look at me that way; I stole your detailed diary. I know all about Kale."

Ryan's eyes widened. She grew paler by the second. It was over; Amber won. If Alfie knew her secret, she wouldn't be able to show her face. "You win." Ryan whispered.

"Hold on, Preggo," Amber rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to use it against you; I'm not that shallow. Though all is fair in love and war, spilling your secret would be too cruel. I'll just find another way to ruin you."

Ryan gave Amber a half-smile, before taking her own cup of tea and drenching Amber's golden locks. "Payback's a bitch; don't read my diary ever again."

* * *

Patricia entered the secret library to find Nina reading. The book was open, but she wasn't paying attention. Nina's eyes were red; she was crying.

"You know." Patricia realized.

Nina glanced up and scoffed. "Of course; even you knew about his mother."

"Yeah, but she's a bitch; isn't she?" Patricia added, sitting next to the dirty blonde. "I guess three years of continuous plastic surgery can do that to you."

"I don't get it. Why didn't he tell me?" Nina asked. "I trusted him with my secrets…" Nina trailed off, biting her lip.

Patricia hesitated. "Nina, he hasn't told you…all of the truth. There's more to the story. And he isn't ready to share yet."

Nina nodded. "I guess I'm not ready to share all of my secrets, either. This house is infamous for drama." She sighed. "And let me guess; he sent you here to talk some sense into me."

"No, but something did happen. I got a text from Jason. He needs our help," Patricia said, holding up her iPhone.

"…There's a storm tonight. Let's go on Saturday," Nina decided. "But don't tell Eddie…or Fabian."

"Are things…over?"

"I really don't know."


	5. Chapter 5: House of Homicide

**You've Got the Love**

** Chapter 5—House of Homicide **

Ryan closed her laptop and sighed. For some reason, she felt strangely obliged to open an old Word document of hers. Before Kale and her ex, she was a writer. She enjoyed writing and her short stories were often published anonymously. But after Mike came into her life, she didn't feel…right. But Alfie made her want to do things she did before Mike. She wanted to take photos, dance (the night at the club was amazing!) write, sing (though she wasn't the best), and draw. She felt unstoppable; Mara tutored her after discovering that she was dyslexic. And Ryan actually understood Trig!

Maybe it was the fact that Ryan "melted" the Wicked Witch of the West. After Ryan took control of her life and dumped tea on Amber, Amber had shrieked and ran towards the shower. She also screamed something about getting a hot oil treatment, but Ryan was laughing too hard to care.

Or maybe it was the fact that Ryan could take Amber's crown/power away. She wasn't playing on participating in Mandi's little election, but if she could get a rise out of Amber, why not? Harmony's little speech gave her motivation!

Joy entered, carrying her laptop. "Okay, I don't mean to sound rude, but please get out."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "What, is it the Oxford guy?" Ryan asked as Joy logged onto Skype.

"Maybe," Joy replied, blushing.

"What's his name?" Ryan questioned.

"Well, his name is Caleb. I know; it's a very…"original" name. But he's really cute and smart and—"

"Are you doing this to make Evan jealous?" Ryan continued. "Well, if you are, good job. Evan practically throws up whenever he hears about Oxford guy. But seriously, you and Evan need to talk…before someone gets hurt."

* * *

"Okay, so I might have stolen Trudy's keys, but we need to go if we're going to make it back," Patricia rambled as she and Nina walked to Trudy's car. Patricia got into the driver's seat as Nina got into the passenger seat.

"Jason's apartment is an hour away. Hopefully, he'll tell us what he wants to and we'll hightail it out of there," Nina said, using her phone to set her GPS to his address.

"He's not going to kidnap us," Patricia laughed, sensing Nina's trepidation. "Or are you worried about Diane?"

Nina nodded. "That would explain why he spent Christmas with my family," Nina said. "But why didn't he say anything? I thought we trusted each other."

"Well, he trusts you. But he doesn't want his family, or to be specific, Diane involved. Diane is very…influential. Type her name into Google and see what you get."

Nina unlocked her iPhone and googled her name. "So she was married five times. She has two children: Fabian and Alex? He has a sister?"

"Half-sister, to be more accurate. She broke away from Diane when she graduated college. She got a decent job, and her father helps her from time to time. But continue reading," Patricia urged.

"Well, she comes from very wealthy and Dutch family—the Vanderbilts. They are famous for architecture, which actually explains a lot. She married her first husband, Owen Fischer, at the young age of 20. Owen Fischer was a wealthy businessman; ah, so she was a gold digger!"

"Was? Don't you mean _is_?" Patricia laughed and rolled her eyes.

"But Owen divorced her after she was having an affair with her new husband, Harold Niemen. The same thing goes on until she meets Eric Rutter."

"It gets messy," Patricia warned as Nina read silently.

"…He died of a mysterious poisoning at the age of 31." Nina whispered. "And she got his company. Until Eric's young son turns 18, the company is owned by her."

"But it's unclear whether Fabian wants the company or not. He wants to go to college first. But he could always take the company back."

"But this doesn't explain why Fabian hates her so much," Nina said. "Well, it does a little."

"The rest of the story needs to be told by him," Patricia grimly smiled. "None of the tabloids or newspapers knows."

Nina didn't answer. Instead, she stared outside the window.

* * *

Harmony was pacing outside the cellar. Should she go and talk to Tobias about the night at the club? Or should she forget it even happened? Harmony ignored her conscience and knocked on the door, before she ventured downstairs.

"Hello?" She tentatively called over the sound of Maroon 5. She glanced around before Tobias popped up from beside the bed. She nearly shrieked in surprise. He was shirtless and only wearing a pair of briefs. His face was sweaty.

"Harmony!" He said, surprised also. "What are you doing here?" He asked, scrambling for his clothes.

Harmony pulled her attention from his toned abs. "Um, well, I wanted to talk about the club. And what happened."

"The club? Oh, so many things happened. Well, I got beat up by a guy that smelled like weed and blueberries."

"Well, you were hitting on his girlfriend, but carry on," Harmony smirked.

"Um, we had sex in the bathroom," Tobias shyly grinned; Tobias had never shyly done anything. "And it was…good."

"_Really_ good," Harmony added. "Tobias, I think we should go on a da—"

"Tobias?" A girl asked. A redhead emerged from his bathroom; she was only wearing a towel. "Who's this?" She asked; her high-pitched voice made Harmony want to rip her hair out.

Tobias opened his mouth to say something, but Harmony laughed, stopping him in his tracks. "You know what? Have a nice evening."

"Oh, gee, thanks!" The redhead called, oblivious as Harmony ran towards the stairs. She ignored Tobias's calls as she slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Nina knocked on Jason's door. "What do you think he wants?"

"Maybe he just wants to check in," Patricia suggested. "Or apologize again. But it's weird that he isn't answering the door."

"I'll open it," Nina said, using her bobby pin to open the door. The apartment was in order and filled with Jason's treasured items. But something was very wrong. Jason's phone was on the ground, dead. It was eerie silent.

"Nina," Patricia said when she spotted something. Spray-painted on the wall was a bunch of Egyptian hieroglyphs. She took a picture of the hieroglyphs, but paused when Nina screamed.

Patricia turned to see Nina. She was shaking and pointing at Jason's recliner in the corner. She saw Jason's stiff leg and a pale hand. Patricia edged closer, putting her hand on the recliner. She took a deep breath and turned it around.

Brown hair, pale skin, maggots of skin, twisted limbs…Jason Winkler was dead.

"He's dead," Nina echoed. "But why? His birthday wasn't until April. Did the curse kill—"

"No, he was murdered," Patricia deduced. She pointed to a wound by his stomach. "He was stabbed from behind."

"Who would do that?" Nina asked. "Black trench coat? She was furious at him for not getting the treasure."

"I don't know, but we better get out of here," Patricia turned to leave, squeezing her eyes shut. Even though her eyes were closed, the image of Jason's dead body still haunted her.

"I agree," Nina said, but she was interrupted when both hers and Patricia's phones rang. They exchanged a terrified glance before reading it.

**Unknown Number.**

**Am I a threat now?**

**-Black Trench Coat**


	6. Chapter 6: House of Evidence

**You've Got the Love**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I had writer's block, but I'm back! I successfully got Drmiracle hooked on Gossip Girl, so I'm happy that I've influenced a reader.**

**Speaking of Gossip Girl, there's a character on here that is kind of like GG. Their identity won't be revealed until graduation—that's the last high school story. I've already outlined how the series will work.**

**Original: Cosmic Love—First half of junior year.**

**Sequel: You've Got the Love—second half of junior year.**

**Second Sequel: No Light, No Light—last weeks of summer and first half of senior year.**

**Third Sequel: Dog Days Are Over—last weeks of Christmas Vacation and last half of senior year.**

**Possible Fourth Sequel: NO TITLE YET—first half of freshman (college) year.**

**I'm definitely not ending the series after they graduate from Anubis. Of course, the mystery will be done, but that'll allow me more time to focus on the drama.**

**And let me tell you, writing as Apophis is so fun!**

**Chapter 6—House of Evidence**

Nina and Patricia had about an hour left until curfew. To process Jason's death, they headed into town. They stopped at a quaint café and ordered coffee. But they spiked their glasses with bourbon that Patricia took from Trudy's room.

"So I think we should make a timeline, in order to figure out who did it. Before we left, I snagged a sign-in sheet from the lobby. It shows every visitor for Jason since last year," Patricia said.

Nina nodded, pulling her iPad out and connecting to Wi-Fi. "Well, the body wasn't that decomposed. It looked about two months old. But it looked preserved, as if someone took care of the body and dropped it off."

"Maybe the person sent us the text and disposed of the bodies," Patricia suggested. "Add that."

Nina tapped out today's date. "So, the person sent the text yesterday and dropped off the body today. I think it was Black Trench Coat."

"But why? What were her motives?" Patricia questioned.

"Well, she paid Jason a lot of money to find the Feather of Truth. She was pissed that Jason failed and probably didn't return the money. She murdered him out of pure spite."

"But the Feather of Truth is in the Egyptian Underworld. She has no purpose for it."

"…Maybe she doesn't want the Feather of Truth. Maybe she wants something else," Nina figured. "But why?"

Patricia opened her mouth, but her phone rang, interrupting her. "Yes, weasel?" She asked. "Yes, I'm with Nina so you can tell Fabian to relax. Wait, how do you know where we are? What? Yeah, what website? Nins, can you hand me your iPad?" She asked.

Nina, though confused, handed it over. Patricia tapped out a web address and gasped. "No fucking way," She whispered, tilting the iPad so Nina could see it. "I'll call you back, Eddie." And she hung up, stunned.

It was a website with a snake coiled around the words 'Call Me Apophis!' There was a single, but long post. It looked like a letter.

_Dear readers and students,_

_Before Christmas Break, I know there was a cyber-blast, aimed at the residents of Anubis House. Well, I'm not that mysterious person, but I was inspired! Instead of just targeting one house, how about targeting the whole school? Having my red eyes targeted at them and their juicy secrets—best Christmas gift ever! I won't be doing my work alone; my loyal readers can tip me off—think of me as Gossip Girl—Georgina Sparks-as-Gossip Girl, mind you._

_So that's why I've created this handy-dandy little page. My little pets have hacked everyone's phone and GPS. That way, I have a location on everyone at school. Let's say your girlfriend goes missing. Unless she threw her phone into a pool, you can find her!_

_I have web pages dedicated to every student. Whenever information comes up, I just post them and tag their names!_

_I hope you have as much fun as I will._

_-Apophis_

"So, there's a blogger named Apophis, and he/she is targeting everyone's move?" Nina asked. "Do you think that's our Black Trench Coat?"

"I'm not sure. This person is too open, not guarded. This person wants to get caught. The Black Trench Coat person asked if she was a threat. This is just a gloat."

"Do you think we should tell Sibuna? I mean, we're not searching for hidden Egyptian artifacts; we're searching for a murderer."

Patricia was silent. "I think we should go back next week and search for more evidence. If it looks promising, then we should get Sibuna involved. But we should leave our phones at the house—so they don't follow us."

"That sounds like a plan. Cheers?" Nina tilted her cup towards Patricia.

* * *

"I can't believe how much this website knows about us," Amber whined as she, Mara, Joy, David, and Jerome walked to school. After the site launched about twelve hours ago, it already had five thousand hits. "And that stupid blogger has trashed fifteen—not five or any lower number—but fifteen of my outfits!"

"Have you checked out your file?" Mara asked her boyfriend.

He shook his head. "No, I usually steer clear of stuff like that. I know they have a page on me, but I rather not look at it."

"Come on! Aren't you tempted the slightest?" Mara teased, waving her phone in front of him.

"No, and will never be," Jerome smirked, giving her the quickest kiss.

"Hey, there's a new page. Cutest couples in the school! And Aaron and I are ranked tenth! Not too shabby," David said.

"I just hope Apophis won't cause trouble between us—things just got back to normal."

* * *

Well, David jinxed himself. By lunch, most of the school's power couples broke up when Apophis posted pictures of cheating partners. Apophis didn't apologized, saying he/she was just exposing the wrong and sinful.

"I'm glad we made it through in one piece," Patricia mumbled against Eddie's lips as they had their lunchtime makeout.

"Why wouldn't we? You aren't hiding anything, are you?" Eddie asked.

Patricia paused. "No," She said. "Um, I won't be able to make our dinner date tomorrow. I have a project to do," She lied, fidgeting with her ring.

"What kind of project?" He asked, kissing her neck.

"Um," Patricia fumbled for an assignment, distracted as his lips trailed further up. "A sociology project…"

"I thought you dropped out of sociology," Eddie asked, not kissing her anymore.

_Shit; having a semi-attentive boyfriend was both a blessing and a curse, Patricia cursed. _"Mr. James wanted me to do a last project before he signed my release papers; such a jackass," She laughed.

"I can get him to stop," Eddie offered.

"No, I got it. Actually, I'm going to get a head start on it now. I'll see you in English, okay?" Patricia quickly kissed him goodbye.

Eddie stared after her, confused at her jumpy attitude. His phone vibrated next to him, and he picked up. It was a blast from Apophis.

_Poor Little Eddie Sweet; everyone's lying to him: his father, his mother, and Trixie. Don't believe me? HINT, HINT: YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS LYING ABOUT HER WHEREABOUTS TOMORROW._

_-Apophis_

Then, his phone beeped with an incoming text.

**Unknown Number.**

**Want help? Just give me the scoop, and I'll give you the deets! **

**-Apophis**

* * *

Ezra sat at his desk, grading papers. Apparently, the previous teacher didn't teach much, and most of the students failed the pre-test. Well, there would be hope in the next period—the Anubis and Isis Houses.

"Ez?" Mara asked. She was standing in front of him, her hands twisted nervously.

"Mara!" He said, surprised. "I'm surprised you're here…and five minutes early."

"Well, I need this class to graduate, so yeah," Mara cracked a smile. "And I usually show up earlier to copy down the notes. How's your face?"

"Bruising, but I'm okay," Ezra admitted. "Listen, Mara, I'm—"

"I don't want to talk about it here," Mara interrupted him.

"But we need to talk about it, Mars," Ezra pleaded.

"Fine; we'll go to dinner Wednesday."

"No boyfriend, okay?"

"…Fine," Mara sighed, twirling a pencil between her fingers. How was she going to tell Jerome that she was doing to dinner with her abusive brother?

Her thoughts were broken when loud and noisy Isis boys came through door. They were tossing a football, joking around. But there was a new boy with them—a familiar sight to her.

"Micah!" She exclaimed, standing up.

Micah Middleton had definitely grown since the last time she'd seen him **(1)**. His dark brown hair was attractively cut and windblown. His icy blue eyes were stunning. He had shed his baby weight, and Mara could see a six-pack under his uniform shirt. Not that she was looking or anything…

"Mars!" Micah greeted, hugging her tightly. "Ready to be beaten in academic decathlon?"

"Bring it!" Mara laughed. "How was Ireland?"

Micah shrugged. "It was fine, but I missed Liverpool. And competing for the captain spot!"

"Not a chance, Middleton," Mara joked, punching his shoulder.

"Do you know where Patricia is?" Micah asked.

Micah was Patricia's first boyfriend, back in eighth grade. It nearly killed her when he moved to Ireland.

"She's probably with Eddie, her boyfriend," Mara said, stressing the word 'boyfriend'.

"Oh, I don't want to get back together with her. I mean, she's great, but we haven't seen each other in nearly three years. It was puppy love, and I'm over her—"

"Nice to hear that, Middleton," Patricia teased from the doorway. "And the feeling is mutual."

He turned around. "Trixie!"

"Micah," Patricia smiled as he hugged her.

"Mara," Ezra called from his desk.

Mara frowned, walking up to him. "What?"

"Why couldn't you date that guy? Mum and Dad would certainly approve of him, and I'd get my inheritance," Ezra argued.

"For one, I don't like Micah like that. And secondly, I'm getting really sick of you talking about your stupid inheritance. Look, I love Jerome. And nothing's going to change that."

* * *

**Again, sorry for the long wait! But I'll upload chapter 7 tomorrow—unless something comes up in the family, of course.**

**[1] Micah will definitely be a recurring character. He'll have nothing to do with the mystery, but a factor in Jara's and Ezra's drama. I imagine Micah to look like Cody Allen Christian. He's so handsome!**

**The A/Pretty Little Liars type of end scenes will begin next chapter. Something scary happens-yay, my first thriller! I feel like Marlene King!**

**-Morgan, xoxo **


	7. Chapter 7: House of Trapped

**You've Got the Love**

**Okay, some people are confused about who is a virgin or not. So I've made this handy-dandy chart!**

**Virgin:**

**Nina **

**Fabian**

**David**

**Aaron**

**Evan (surprising, I know)**

**Alfie**

**Micah**

**Amber**

**Not a Virgin:**

**Mara**

**Jerome**

**Joy**

**Mick**

**Ryan**

**Patricia **

**Eddie**

**Tobias **

**Harmony**

**Ezra**

**Okay, I think I got everyone. If I missed someone, please tell me in the reviews!**

**Drmiracle: So, so sorry that you almost abandoned this story! I had really bad writer's block, and my grandma's house keeps on flooding. I clean it up with my parents every day, so it takes a large chunk of my time up. But I'm back! And yes, Serena gets around. Blair has only been with like two or three men in her life—ha! Serena's record is probably 100 times Blair's record.**

**Chapter 7—House of Trapped**

"Okay, I have the Ziploc bags, a camera, gloves, keys, hooded jackets, money, Pringles, and a coupon for McDonald's!" Patricia cheered as they gathered in the foyer.

"Why do you have a coupon for McDonald's?" Nina asked.

"Well, Trudy gave it to me, and I didn't want to be rude," Patricia laughed. "Hey, do you have your phone?"

"Sure, why?" Nina said, giving Patricia her iPhone. Patricia smiled and threw it onto the couch. "What the hell?" Nina glared.

"Apophis hacked our phones, remember? I'm supposed to be at the library working on a project, and you're—I'm sorry, what was your cover story?"

"Nothing. I haven't spoken to Fabian since…the incident."

"Why?"

"I just think we need time apart from each other," Nina said, picking at the red nail polish on her fingernails. "And I'm kind of scared."

"Scared? Of what?" Patricia questioned as they walked to Trudy's car.

"Confrontation," Nina finished. "Should I be mad at him or guilty?"

"Guilty? What did you do?" Patricia asked as she got into the passenger seat.

Nina started the car and leaned back. "Evan has been blackmailing me about my past. I don't want anyone to know, especially Fabian."

"Well, you have to ask yourself this: which would hurt more? Fabian finding out from Apophis' website or Evan? Or Fabian finding out from his own girlfriend?"

Nina didn't answer as she pulled out of the garage. But she was contemplating Patricia's advice. Confrontation was drawing near—for both of them.

* * *

Ryan and Joy were in their room, watching Pretty Little Liars. It was the season 3 finale, and they were nervously munching on popcorn and gummy bears.

"Aww, Spoby sex!" Ryan cooed as Spencer and Toby forgave each other.

"I'm still not over how Spencer joined the A-Team," Joy mused. "I thought it would be Aria; so much evidence points to her."

"That's just it. Marlene and Oliver look at the most popular fans' theories. When they saw how many people believed Aria was A, they turned it around. They want everyone to be surprised," Ryan said.

"I swear; this show is too much for my meek, little heart!" Joy dramatically exclaimed. "Speaking of drama, what's going on with you and Amber? I heard she skipped school to get a hot-oil treatment—and she listed you as responsible."

"She found out about a secret; she told me to my face that she's trying to tear me down and get Alfie back. Have you thought about putting her into Radley?" Ryan asked.

"We've grown to cope with it," Joy shrugged. "But what was the secret? It had to be terrible if Amber didn't use it to her advantage."

Ryan bit her lip. "I have…a son."

* * *

Nina unlocked Jason's door with a bobby pin. "Ready?" She asked Patricia.

Patricia nodded and pushed the door open.

The apartment was in the same order as they left it. But the body and phone disappeared. The recliner Jason was sitting in was scrubbed clean and smelled nice—not decomposed like Jason was. The symbols were still spray-painted on the wall, but were faded a bit.

"Did you look the hieroglyphs up?" Nina asked.

"No, not yet. It must be a cult or something. Hey, look at this," Patricia said, picking up something by the recliner. "Ouch!" She immediately withdrew her hand. A small droplet of blood sprouted from her finger.

"Are you okay?" Nina asked, picking up the object, avoiding the sharp tip. It was a black feather.

"What the hell is that?" Patricia asked, examining the feather.

"I don't know, but this is—"

The door behind them shut. The apartment was enveloped in darkness. Nina dropped the feather in surprise.

"What the hell?" Patricia asked. "The door is locked." She crouched down to look under the door.

A pair of high heel boots was walking away from the apartment. A swish of a black trench coat followed. Patricia spotted something bright red. She held her breath and squeezed her hand through the tiny opening. She pulled back, and it was a red hair.

Nina used the camera for light. They examined the hair. "So, Jason's murderer might be a redhead?" Patricia guessed.

"Jason said the woman used wigs to conceal her identity. And this is definitely a fiber from a wig. See?" Nina held the fiber up to the light. It frayed, not like regular hair would. "Watching Elementary with Gran actually helps in the long run," She laughed.

"Wait, do you still have the feather?" Patricia asked.

Nina stumbled around in the dark. "Found it!"

Patricia carefully turned the feather on. On the back were the same Egyptian hieroglyphs that were on the wall. But unlike the wall, an English translation was engraved next to the symbols.

"That Carnavons? Are those the people that founded Howard Carter's expedition?" Patricia asked.

"Yeah, but what does it have to do with Jason Winkler?" Nina wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but we need to get the hell out of here," Patricia said, looking around for an exit.

"I found a fire escape," Nina pointed the camera light. "We have to break through the glass."

Patricia picked up one of Jason's heavy books and flung it at the window. It shattered, making a way out.

The girls attempted to climb out, but the door abruptly opened. A tall figure stood in the doorway.

"Go!" Patricia screamed, pushing Nina out of the window. Nina screamed as she fell on some glass. Patricia dove next to her as bullets whizzed over their heads. The bullets stopped, and the girls took that as their cues to run down the fire escape.

_They barely escaped with their lives, but next time, they won't be as lucky, the woman in the coat thought bitterly as she gazed down at them._

* * *

"Where the hell are they?" Eddie asked as he called his girlfriend again. He had dropped by the library to surprise his girlfriend with dinner, but quickly discovered she never showed up. Fabian also discovered Nina was also missing. Two Sibuna members missing? That called for a code-red search.

"Um, Eddie?" Alfie called from the doorway. Eddie looked up, exasperated. "I found her phone," Alfie sheepishly said, tossing him her iPhone.

Eddie stared down at her phone before his own phone buzzed. It was a text from Apophis.

**Unknown Number.**

**Still can't find your girlfriend? I know exactly where she is—if you give me the deets, I'll give you her location. And hint, hint—Nina's with her.**

**-Apophis**

Alfie glanced over. "Are you going to do it—make a deal with a snake?"

Fabian entered, carrying Nina's iPhone. "She left her phone—she never goes anywhere without her phone," He said, frantic. "Do you think it was Rufus or someone?"

"We're about to find out," Eddie frowned.

**Eddie.**

**What do you want?**

**Unknown Number.**

**Why did you kiss Harmony?**

**Eddie.**

**I wanted to see if I still had feelings for Patricia.**

**Unknown Number.**

**Did you?**

**Eddie.**

**Yes.**

**Unknown Number.**

**One last question: Did you develop feelings for Harmony? Answer truthfully, or I'll never reveal their location.**

**Eddie.**

**I developed tiny feelings for Harmony. That's it. Now, where are my girlfriend and my best friend?**

**Unknown Number.**

**They're at the Starbucks by Cinema 12. One of my toadies overheard them talking about visiting Jason Winkler's apartment. And this isn't over, Sweet.**

Eddie rolled his eyes at Apophis' comment and pocketed his phone. "They're at the Starbucks by Cinema 12. And they were visiting Jason."

"How do you know?" Fabian asked. "And why?"

"I, unfortunately, made a deal with a snake. And I don't know. Now, the only problem is getting there. My car won't be here for any month. Alfie? Fabian?"

"Um, I might have something-" Fabian nervously said, but he was interrupted by Amber, Ryan, Jerome, and Joy.

"Did you find them? I swear; if it was Rufus, I'm kicking him straight back to Egyptian hell!" Amber said, crossing her arms.

Jerome and Joy agreed, but Ryan looked confused. "Who is Rufus—"

"No, they're at Starbucks. You guys better stay here. We'll be back," Eddie commanded as he, Alfie, and Fabian headed around the house. "Now, how are we going to get there-"

The sight of a small BMW and a Ducati motorcycle rendered Eddie and Alfie speechless.

"What the hell?" Alfie broke the silence.

"My sister thinks it's unreal and unsafe to just have a bike for transportation. I haven't use them yet, but I think this counts as an emergency," Fabian tossed the BMW keys to Alfie.

"Mate, your sister rules!" Alfie exclaimed as he entered the car. "Wait, how come you get the Ducati?"

For the first time in almost a week, Fabian grinned. "Because I'm the only one with a license."

* * *

"Nins, are you okay?" Patricia asked. They were parked in Starbucks, using napkins to nurse their wounds. Their drinks, once warm, were cold.

"Just shaken up," Nina answered through gritted teeth. Her leg and wrist were seriously cut. Also, her forehead was bleeding—almost in the same spot where Mick had injured her. "How about you?"

"Same," Patricia lied. Her arm was screaming out in protest. There was also a bloody gash on the side of her face—great! Another flaw!

"So, who tried to kill us—again?" Nina asked.

"I don't know, but I think we should get the police involved—"

Patricia was interrupted when a motorcycle and a BMW roared into the parking lot. The motorcycle rider took off its' helmet, apparently searching for someone.

It was Fabian.

Patricia and Nina ducked, ignoring the throbbing pain.

"How did he found us?" Patricia hissed.

"Patricia, Fabian isn't alone. Eddie and Alfie are also here. And they're heading this way—they recognized Trudy's car," Nina whispered.

The boys knocked on the window, not quite seeing through the tinted windows. But they knew the girls were there.

Slowly, Nina stood up and rolled down the window. But she soon realized her mistake—she stood up too fast.

"Nina!"

And that was the last thing she heard before she passed out.

* * *

Meanwhile, in an unknown room, a snake of a blogger was typing up a blast that would possibly ruin Peddie forever.

Satisfied, he/she sent the blast. Seconds later, every student got the blast. The blast read:

_I smell a love triangle…_

Below was a screenshot of Eddie's and Apophis' conversation.

The blogger closed its' laptop, smiling like a maniac.

* * *

The black trench coat person was listening to jazz music as she carefully made a cocktail. When she was finished, she walked over to the corner.

"Vodka, Jason?" She asked, giggling as she threw the drink into his stunned, dead face.

* * *

**So, it's been confirmed that Black Trench Coat is a female—I'm not kidding you. Black Trench Coat is a female, and her identity will shock you!**

**Well, I mostly have the next chapter written; I'll probably post it Tuesday or later this week. **

**If anyone here reads "Anything Could Happen", I'll probably post another chapter tonight.**

**I know this is off-topic, but is anyone else going to watch that ABC Family movie, **_**Lovestruck: The Musical **_**tonight? I'm going to watch it; it seems like a feel-good chick flick. It has an amazing cast. I simply just adore Drew Seeley and Chelsea Kane—but mostly Drew Seeley.**

**-Morgan, xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8: House of Confrontation

**You've Got the Love**

**So, I decided to close the poll because I'm going to write both stories! I reconstructed "Troublemaker", and I'm in love with the new plot.**

**Look out for both stories in about a few weeks.**

**Chapter 8—House of Confrontation**

Nina winced as Fabian carefully applied a bandage to her wrist. Her leg was also wrapped, but the cut was still bleeding through the bandage. Eddie was also taking care of Patricia. The members of Sibuna watched on from afar, terrified that someone actually hurt and attempted to kill Nina and Patricia.

"Now that you're stitched up," Eddie began. "Can you tell us why you were hanging around Jason's apartment? And how we wouldn't have found you if it wasn't for that tip from Apophis?"

Nina and Patricia exchanged glances and started to tell the crazy story. After they discovered Jason's body, they kept going back and looking for clues. They didn't want to get Sibuna involved until it was necessary. They found hieroglyphs of what appeared to be a secret cult, a sharp feather, and a fiber of a red wig. But on their last adventure, someone locked them in the apartment. The only way of escaping was breaking through the glass and onto the fire escape. They had to run and escape down the fire escape as someone shot at them. That's how they earned their respective injuries.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Fabian asked, shocked that Nina didn't trust him.

"I—everything was messed up with Diane. I didn't want to make everything more…complicated," Nina softly said.

"Well, you guys obviously need to talk," Patricia said, shooing everyone out of her room. She gave Nina a hopeful smile, before she closed the door.

No one spoke.

"Patricia told me a bit about Diane," Nina started. "And your life. She said the rest was your story."

"How much you do know?" He asked.

"Diane married your dad…and he died of mysterious poisoning. You have a half-sister named Alex. That's pretty much it."

"…Do you see how little you know about my private life? That's how I feel whenever Harmony, David, or Evan mentions an inside joke. I feel left out, like I barely know you."

"Don't you dare turn this around on me! I know trust has been…left out in our relationship, but I—listen, Evan has been blackmailing me about my secret. And I thought Tobias knew, but he was just being stupid."

"What is it, Nina?" He whispered, brushing a strand from her face.

"I had a drug and alcohol addiction before I came to England," She replied, her voice pained. "It was after my grandfather passed away. My Gran was depressed and my friends were mad at me for applying to a boarding school in England, so I had no one to turn to. But Harmony's boyfriend, Adam, introduced me to my three devils—alcohol, drugs, and pills. My Gran snapped out of her depression and noticed my problem. Harmony and David also noticed my problem, no longer mad at me. Harmony's aunt, whom was an ex-addict, recommended me to a rehab center. The center was notorious for _not_ leaking information about its' patients. I haven't had a drink, pill, or drug in almost three years."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Fabian asked. "I wouldn't have thought any different."

"But now, your mom might. Don't give me that look; I know she doesn't like me. I saw the envelope of cash she gave you. She's bribing you, isn't she?"

"I returned the money; I don't want her stupid money, I want you," Fabian responded, wrapping her into his arms. He pressed his lips to her temple as they just embraced each other.

"You know, our troubles with your mother aren't over…and you haven't told me the rest of the story," Nina whispered.

Fabian hummed in agreement. "I know, but we'll make it through. And I swear, I will tell you the rest of the story. No more secrets."

* * *

Harmony walked down the stairs and into the dining room. She paused when she noticed Patricia and Eddie there. A single laptop was on the table, but no one dared to touch it.

Tensions were running high, especially after the Apophis blast last night. Harmony was surprised; how did Apophis know?

"What are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"We got a text, saying it was a meeting down here. What are you doing here?" Patricia asked, coldly.

As soon as Harmony realized what was happening, the door slammed. The sharp sound of a lock was heard.

"Well, we're locked in, apparently," Eddie groaned as Patricia and Harmony attempted to open both doors.

The laptop bleeped with an incoming Skype call. Eddie accepted the call. The entire house's, except for them and Tobias, faces appeared on the screen. They were in Fabian's, Eddie's, and Evan's room.

"Okay, don't get mad," Nina started, seeing their deadly glares. "We all love you dearly, but you need to sort your mess out. You can actually feel the tension," She made an awkward feeling motion with her hands. "So, we made an Anubis Intervention!"

Amber's gleaming face appeared in the camera. "I came up with the name!" She screamed, pointing to herself.

Nina laughed, gently pushing her out of the way. "So, we'll be listening in through the microphone, but not through the video. So when we think everything is okay, we'll end the call and unlock the door. Okay?"

"Wait! Don't start yet! I have to get my favorite snacks!" Alfie said, running out of the room. "Do you want something?" He asked everyone. "The pizza won't be here for another fifteen minutes."

"Yeah…get us out of here!" Patricia screamed, grabbing the laptop.

"Trixie, just talk it over. You don't have to like each other or become best friends; just come to an agreement," Jerome said, taking the computer from Nina. "And good luck!" He smirked, waving.

The screen went dark, but they knew they were still listening.

There was silence for a few moments, before Harmony broke the ice.

"What happened between you guys last year?" Harmony asked, sitting across from them.

"My father forced us apart during the summer," Eddie explained.

"Ah, so it was like a Romeo and Juliet thing." Harmony said, glancing at a sulking Patricia.

"Exactly," Eddie nodded, grabbing Patricia's hand. "But love found its' way back. Right, Patricia?"

Patricia ignored him and leaned forward. "I want to know what happened at that Alumni Gala. Why did you two kiss?"

"Well, we weren't dating, so you could…chill out or something," Harmony said, gesturing for Eddie to explain.

"We were both single and depressed. Harmony was just talking to me. I wanted to make sure I still had feelings for you, so I kissed her. It was a mistake."

Harmony flinched. "Wow, that's a _nice_ way to put it! Thanks, Eddie!" She sarcastically said.

"You know what I mean," Eddie rolled his eyes. "Are we good?"

Harmony sighed. "I can see that you love Patricia very much. And she loves you, too. I'm sorry for even attempting to disturb your relationship."

Patricia felt guilty. "You'll find love, Harmony."

Harmony nodded, her thoughts drifting to a certain person. Was Tobias the right person for her? Was that night in the bathroom supposed to happen?

"I know," Harmony replied, a slight smile on her face. "Are we okay, Patricia?"

Patricia smiled. "We will be."

* * *

Mara sat across from Ezra. "Well, I promised to meet you out here—boyfriend-less, at your request. Start explaining yourself, or I'm gone."

Ezra sighed, fidgeting. He knew this would be hard for him.

He had taken his sister to a rundown café in the outskirts of town; he knew no one from school would stumble across them. Ezra had also ordered a hot chocolate—Mara's favorite. In his nervous hands, Ezra held tea, which always seemed to calm him down.

"Mars, you're the baby child. From the start, mum and dad loved better. I was just a sulking, older brother. When you started to get good grades and I started to drift from their idea of my life, that's when I realized my hidden anger. I tried to hold it in, but I couldn't. I took it out on you, and I was wrong. I need help, Mara," Ezra pleaded.

Mara was silent. "Do you still care for your trust fund?"

Ezra glanced down at his tea, knowing Mara already knew the answer. "Mars—"

"That's your problem. You're a selfish brat, Ez. I've already forgiven you for yelling and taking your anger out of me, but you're still so fucking—" Mara paused, slightly enjoying the way the word rolled off of her tongue. "You're so fucking selfish. You're putting a stupid, large sum of money in front of the only member of the family that still loves and supports you. At the end of the day, I'll still love you, but as our friendship goes, it's over until you come to your senses."

Mara expected Ezra to beg for her forgiveness or realize his mistakes. But his actions proved her wrong.

Ezra stood up, glared at her, and poured the cup of tea over her head. "I'm getting my trust fund back; whether it destroys the last bit of our relationship or not. I suggest you break up with Jerome when we get back home—that's the easy way out. But if you don't break up with him, get ready for a world of hurt."

Mara gaped in shock as Ezra strolled out of the diner, leaving her confused, hurt, broken, and without a ride back to Anubis House.

* * *

A knock sounded at the door. Ryan looked up from her homework, startled. Her boyfriend stood in the doorway, sheepish.

Ryan smiled, removing her headphones and gesturing him further into the room. "Hey, Alfie," She said. They hadn't fully resolved the whole Amber/Ryan/Amfie love triangle.

"Ry," Alfie smiled, moving closer. He sat on the edge of her bed.

Ryan glanced at him, suspicious. "What's up? And just for the record, I'm not mad at you anymore." She smiled, reaching forward to grasp his hand.

"It's not about that. Joy told me about…Kale," Alfie confessed.

Ryan released Alfie's hand. She paled; it wasn't Amber that betrayed her, but Joy, one of her best friends. It was over. A few tears slipped down her face as she shuddered.

"Hey, Ryan," Alfie softly said, pulling her face to his. "That doesn't change my opinion about you. In fact, this makes you a stronger person, in my book. You're still my beautiful girlfriend, Ry."

Ryan wobbly smiled, holding his hand again.

* * *

David always had low self-esteem. Though he had blonde hair and blue eyes, he didn't have hardcore abs like his brother. Nina and Harmony always assured him that if he weren't gay and they didn't have love interests, they would so go for him. David never believed them.

But every few weeks, he liked to stand in front of a mirror and just look at himself. Since he had a hot boyfriend, he knew he had to compete with other hot guys and live up to his own boyfriend's hotness.

He had the room to himself: Alfie was with Ryan, and Jerome was at a movie with his sister. He had his shirt off, but he was frowning. He still didn't look like Taylor Lau—

The door swung open. Startled, David turned to the door.

Aaron stood in the doorway, his mouth agape.

David forgot to mention an important flaw. His pale torso was covered with scars, cuts, and bruises.

And not to mentioned, the bruises, cuts, and scars he had inflicted on himself.

* * *

Harmony sat in her room, drinking vodka. Her head was spinning, but she continued to gulp down the harsh liquid.

A knock sounded at the door. Harmony didn't answer as she continued to drink, staring at the wall. The door creaked open. The bed dipped, and Harmony turned to see Tobias frowning.

"Do you want to die of alcohol poisoning?" He exclaimed, yanking the glass and bottle from Harmony. He stood, keeping the substance away from her.

Harmony rolled her eyes, attempting to get up. But she stumbled, eventually falling back onto the bed. Tobias hesitantly joined her, watching her as tears streamed down her face.

"Why do I and everyone I love, pick people who treat us like we're nothing?" Harmony asked, her voice cracking.

Tobias paused, questioning whether she was talking about him or Eddie. "We accept the love we think we deserve," He answered as his hands effortlessly found her blonde tresses. He gently stroked her hair, feeling a new connection to her.

"Quoting The Perks of a Wallflower," She slurred in her drunken stupor. "You're sappier than I thought you were."

Tobias smiled as Harmony started to doze off. But she suddenly shot up, smiling like an idiot. "You know, I can't forget the night at the club. You're a fantastic lover," She said, smiling. "Ready for Round Two?"

Tobias knew Harmony was drunk, and he didn't want to take advantage of her. Though, he wanted to, more than anything, have a round two. So, he just kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll see you later, Harmony," He whispered, throwing a blanket over her. He turned the lights off as he left, a smile on his face.

* * *

The next day, Tobias was on his way to class when someone yanked him into a closet.

A light was turned on, and Harmony was revealed. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her wintery skin was paler than usual. She had a hangover, but she still looked better than half the girls at the school.

"Thank you," Harmony whispered.

"For what?" Tobias questioned.

Harmony didn't answer as she pulled him closer. She smiled before she kissed him. He reciprocated the kiss, before pulling away. Before he could reply, Harmony put a finger to his lips.

"I know we're both not ready for a relationship, but I can't stop thinking about the night in the bathroom."

"Are you suggesting a secret relationship?" Tobias asked, slightly hurt. Though he had plenty secret relationships, he didn't want to have a secret relationship with Harmony—he was positive she wasn't a gold-digging bimbo. Tobias was actually ready for a serious relationship; someone he could walk down the halls, swinging hands as they smiled sweetly at each other. It was frightening; a few months ago, Tobias couldn't stand people and serious relationships. Now, the tables have turned.

"Well, I'm about to give you my heart," Harmony began. "But believe it or not, your heart is actually more fragile than mine. I know, in my heart, that everything is going to be okay. But I—"

Tobias interrupted her with a kiss. "Say no more, H," Tobias grinned, leaning in to kiss her again.


	9. Chapter 9: House of Tragedy

**You've Got the Love**

**Sorry for the long wait! I spend summer with my Nan and Papa in Georgia, and I had to take a few days to unpack. **

**During the week of June 15th to June 22nd, I'll be on a cruise (without Wi-Fi) with my Nan and Papa. And I wanted to update this before I left. **

**I'm about 85% done with Chapter 12 of Anything Could Happen. I'll upload that when I get back.**

**Chapter 9—House of Tragedy**

Harmony left her room, carrying her backpack. She was procrastinating in both Trig and Chemistry; she needed to make up at least ten assignments. So, guess where she was spending her Friday night at?

Suddenly, something grabbed her and yanked her to the side. She found herself entering a closet. It was dark, and she was pressed against a toned chest. She pushed the person back and found a switch.

"Goddamn, Tobias!" She shouted. Then, she lowered her voice. "I told you; keep the PDA to a minimal. I don't appreciate getting mauled!"

Tobias grinned. "You think I was going to let you spend your Friday night with books? You really don't know me…do you, sweetheart?"

"You're an ass." Harmony frowned, before pulling him down to her lips. They kissed soundly before she pulled away. "And that's why I like you."

They kissed for a few more minutes, before Harmony's iPhone went off. She fished her phone out, without breaking the kiss. She tried to silent the call, but Tobias snaked his arm from around her waist and accepted the call.

Harmony glared at Tobias as she snatched her phone from his hands. "Hello?" She said. A loud voice spoke, but Tobias couldn't understand. But it was bad; Harmony's bluish-green orbs widened in fear. "Oh my god...I'm on my way," She choked out, tears streaming down her face.

"Harmony? What's wrong; did your date cancel on you?" Tobias asked, trying to add some humor to the situation.

"My aunt…she's dead," Harmony sobbed. "I have to go to New York and be there for the funeral and the reading of the will. Oh, I have to pack; I have to get a plane ticket and get permission. Oh, god," She rambled, nearly dropping her bag.

"Whoa, calm down," Tobias said, placing his hands on her shoulders, in an attempt to calm her down. "I'll tell Sweetie and get you a plane ticket. Just go and pack, okay?"

"Tobias, I have to take someone with me; my parents won't go. Can you please get Nina? She was invited, too," Harmony asked as she walked out of the closet. "She's in the library with Fabian."

Tobias felt hurt that she didn't invite him, but he didn't know her or her family well; plus, everyone would know that they were dating. "Okay; do you want me to charter a plane?"

"No need; call the airport and ask for the von Steuben plane. Say it's an emergency." And without another word, Harmony disappeared upstairs.

* * *

"She looks so peaceful; they did a good job," Nina whispered as they observed Marilyn. Her long, auburn hair was curled softly and she was wearing her favorite gown. A soft smile was painted on her face.

"Of course; her sister flew in the best funeral home in the country," Harmony scoffed. "I think it's weird that they're holding the funeral in Hoffman."

"Well, Marilyn did donate millions to this place. And she saved lives when she brought in people…including me. You know, the hospital is naming a wing after her."

"Oh, I know; we're going to the ceremony tonight. Speaking of that, are you going to talk to Iris?"

"I don't know; she might try and break out or something," Nina laughed. "But I did bring the pills and stuff. I'm going to bury them—far away from Iris."

"That's a good idea," Harmony started to say, before a nasal voice interrupted her.

"Harmony? Nina?" Veronica, Harmony's annoying cousin, spoke. They exchanged a glance, before turning. "Well, don't you look handsome?" Veronica said, smirking. Veronica switched her weight from one Chanel heel to the other, a manicured hand landing on her narrow hip.

Unlike Harmony, Veronica took Marilyn's offer to live in the Upper East Side. She went to a preppy school and reigned as Queen Bee. She thought that would make her Marilyn's favorite niece (Harmony and Veronica had been in a feud since 1995). But Harmony had taken that title (not that she bragged).

"Veronica, how are you? I'm so glad you got our teeth fixed. I also see you have dyed your hair auburn," Nina remarked, smirking.

"Well, I have to pay my respects to Marilyn. Harmony, you've dyed your hair blonde. Did Marilyn like it?"

Harmony ignored her, knowing that last comment really stung.

"Well, I—" Veronica started, but Marilyn's lawyer tapped her on the shoulder.

"It's time for the reading of the will," Marilyn's lawyer whispered, not waiting to catch the attention of the other funeral-goers.

Harmony and Nina started towards the office, but Veronica stopped them. "Nina isn't family."

"Marilyn also wanted Ms. Martin in there, Ms. von Steuben."

Veronica rolled her eyes, but silently followed.

The lawyer closed the door and put on his reading glasses. "I, Marilyn Claudia von Steuben, give all of my living nieces and nephews their trust funds. I leave my summer and winter estates to my sisters, Elizabeth and Rebecca, if Rebecca accepts. I leave my vintage Mustang and apartment in Rome to a family friend, Nina Martin. I also leave my apartment in Paris to Veronica." The lawyer was interrupted when Veronica loudly intervened.

"Ha! I got something, and you didn't!" Veronica smugly grinned at Harmony. Elizabeth, her mother, pulled her down, frowning.

"Continue, Alfred," Elizabeth replied.

Alfred cleaned his throat and continued. "And for my penthouse, company, my liquid assets, and other estates, I leave to…Harmony von Steuben."

"Harmony?" Everyone, including Harmony, chorused.

"She isn't even legally old enough! She can barely hold onto a boyfriend, let alone a company! And she has the worst fashion sense ever! Why does she get to have the fashion company?! It's not fair!" Veronica complained.

The family was shouting, and only Nina and Harmony were quiet. "Hey!" Harmony shouted, getting the auburn-haired family quiet. "Would Marilyn be happy if she saw you like this? The family should respect her wishes; I'm not the most confident person to have the company. But if that's what she wants, I'll do it. And Veronica, stop your whining. Marilyn loved us equally, so stop talking about 'favorite niece,' okay?" And with that, Harmony turned and left the room, slamming the door.

Nina followed, glaring at Veronica. "Thanks, bitch."

* * *

"Harmony! Hold on! I can't walk in these heels!" Nina called, following Harmony. Unfortunately, Harmony wore flats, opposed to Nina's high-heel booties. "Harmony! You aren't wearing a coat!" She protested. "And you're getting weird looks!"

Harmony rolled her eyes and turned. She was wearing a sweater that was cut, revealing quite a bit of skin and chest. Her denim, skinny jeans were tucked into her flats. She actually bought the sweater because Marilyn told her she looked great. "No, Nins, your yelling is getting weird looks."

Nina wore a skin-tight and black dress, knee-high socks, and booties. Her hair was wavy and in a messy ponytail. "H, it's going to be okay."

"Nins, I just inherited a ten million, high-fashion company. I know nothing about fashion! And I'm sure my family hates me!"

"No, your family doesn't hate you. They're jealous. And yes, you do know fashion. Marilyn might have purchased that sweater, but your paired it with the flats, makeup, and pants. I can help you! Maybe Amber and her mother could help…for a second, since you guys are rivals. You're going to be okay, H."

Harmony smiled. "Okay, but first, I have to make a call."

* * *

After Harmony finally revealed her last name, Mara searched the family on Google. The von Steubens were a predominant family in the Upper East Side and the 50th richest family in the world. It quickly got around.

The girls nearly squealed when they discovered that Harmony was related to the late and great Marilyn von Steuben. And, Nina was like an adopted niece to Marilyn.

The guys (read: Eddie and Tobias) were surprised at Harmony's glamorous life. Tobias pointed out that she probably didn't want anyone to like her just for her name.

Tobias was strolling to lunch when a bunch of first-year girls crossed his path. He couldn't help, but overhear their conversations.

"Oh my god! Harmony is like the real-life Serena van der Woodsen. She's pretty, rich, and a blonde! She's a true it-girl."

"And did you see what she was wearing to Marilyn's funeral? She looked like a goddess! You know, she inherited Marilyn's company! Damien van der Waal is contemplating collaboration—if you know what I mean!"

Tobias couldn't take it, so he sidled next to the girls. "Pardon me, but what are you talking about?"

One of the girls handed him her iPhone. It was Apophis's site, and a picture was onscreen. Harmony was pictured walking down a NY street with Nina. Both girls looked amazing, but the girls were right—Harmony looked like, well, a goddess.

"Well, she's an it-girl," Tobias repeated, handing the phone back. His own phone beeped, and he pulled it out—it was Harmony.

One girl shrieked, reading his screen. "It's Harmony! Oh my god, are you two dating?"

"Nope, I just like trolling. She's a fake blonde, by the way," Tobias smirked as he answered. "Hello, peasant."

"Wish you were here," Harmony said. Tobias could hear the sirens and sounds of New York. "Thank you again for helping me."

The girls scooted in closer to hear her, but Tobias didn't push them away. "Oh, it's no problem. Prepare for a mob; your secret got around school—like an STD. You can thank Apophis for that."

"Oh, that's okay. So, you've probably heard that I inherited a company. I'll probably need your help, Mr. Math Genius. Damien van der Waal volunteered, but I'd rather have you."

"…I think I can make space for you in my ever-so-busy schedule," Tobias grinned. "See you tomorrow for Valentine's Day." And he hung up, a permanent grin on his face.

"Ooh, someone's getting laid tomorrow!" A girl with dark hair commented, winking.

"Wait, so you _are_ dating her? Can I please tell everyone? Please!" A blonde haired girl begged, turning on her iPhone. He saw the familiar Apophis icon and smirked.

"Sure; in fact, I've already written up a tip for you," Tobias said, handing the blonde girl a small sheet of paper. "Carry on," He smirked, walking off.

* * *

"Stop right there," Veronica said as soon as Harmony and Nina entered the office again. "Are you even 18?" She asked, narrowing her blue eyes.

"Ronnie, get your head out of your ass. I'm 18, and I will be respecting her wishes. I was going to make you a consultant. But I think I'll demote you to…coffee assistant."

Veronica's ears turned red. "Mother, let's go home! I'm not going to let trash talk to me like that!" She pouted, grabbing her coat.

"Actually, it's my home. You are living in Marilyn's penthouse, huh? Oops, I mean you _were_ living. But I'm not that cruel. I'll keep room for you. But after I graduate from high school, I would like to live there and manage the company. That should give you enough time to find another 'penthouse', Queen Bee?"

"I…hate you," Veronica hissed. "I'll be back—this isn't the last you'll see of me!"

"Oh, that was so cliché," Nina rolled her eyes.

"Bye, Ronnie," Harmony waved as Veronica stalked away. She high-fived Nina. "Let's go home."

* * *

The black trench coat entered a café/store. A worker with a kind smile and flowing blonde hair welcomed the figure.

"Just in time for Valentine's Day, huh?" She asked, handing the figure a box.

The figure handed her a large bill, before leaving. The figure opened the box to find a glass heart. The figure took its' fist and smashed it. The figure pushed the glass aside to find a vial of poison in the center…

* * *

**I know this isn't the best chapter, but the next chapter is pretty interesting. It's a Valentine's Day chapter, and the black trench coat has something up her sleeve...**


	10. Chapter 10: House of One Nights

**You've Got the Love**

**Chapter 10—House of One Nights**

_**I dedicate this chapter to Talia Castellano—Earth might have lost a sweet girl, but heaven gained an angel…**_

**Happy birthday, T (Just Call Me -T)!**

**Since it's been a while, I'm going to go all PLL and have a recap…**

**Last time on **_**You've Got the Love**_**, Harmony and Tobias were trying to keep their relationship a secret, but in the end, they publicly reveal their relationship. **

**In other news, Harmony is rich, contrary to the belief that she is on a scholarship—so, that's why she can fail almost every class and get away with it! Oh, and Harmony also inherited a fashion company through her deceased aunt, which she takes full ownership of when she turns 18 and/or graduates high school. Right now, she's just overseeing from a distance.**

**And that's about it! But get ready for this chapter…yes, it's Valentine's Day! Enjoy!**

It was a quiet, Sunday night. Everyone was in the living room, either watching TV or cuddling with their respective other (excluding David—he hadn't seen Aaron since the whole scars incident).

Trudy was in the other room, making dinner and talking to Sweetie over the phone, obviously arguing about something.

A knock sounded at the door, but no one moved to answer it.

Trudy sighed, annoyed. "Would one of you please get that?"

"You go and get it," Joy said, gesturing to Evan.

Evan responded by pushing Joy off of the couch.

Joy glared at him as everyone stifled their giggles. She composed herself before walking over to answer the door. But she wasn't expecting what was behind the door.

"Caleb?" She asked as her boyfriend lunged forward to hug her.

The 22 year old student grinned. "Surprise!"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Joy asked, closing the door after he stepped into the house.

Caleb Eldridge was rumored to be the hottest guy at Oxford—and it might as well be true. With his tan, perfect teeth, blue eyes, bulging muscles, and tall physique, he made Zac Efron look like a hobo.

"Can't I visit my girl on Valentine's Day?" He argued, pulling her into a searing kiss.

A door slammed, and they broke apart to see Evan storm out of the living room and into his room. Many exchanged confused glances, but two people knew exactly what was going on.

Trudy ran from the kitchen, towel and phone in hand. "Oh, you must be Caleb, Joy's…boyfriend?" She asked, her gaze switching from both Caleb and Joy. "Oh, dear, I thought you would have been a little—"

"Younger?" Caleb scoffed. "Oh, I smell…lasagna. I have a great, family recipe. Do you want some help?"

Taken aback by his kindness, Trudy was quick to smile. "He's a keeper, Joy!"

Joy smiled before sending a quick movement out of the corner of her eye. Evan was glaring intently at Caleb before re-entering his room.

She smirked and flipped her hair over her shoulder. _The ship sailed on that opportunity, buddy, she thought. _And just for that, Joy suddenly felt like wearing that red dress her mother bought for her "special occasions". And this sure was a damn, special occasion.

* * *

Valentine's Day—where love blossomed and died. The holiday was lucky to fall on Friday, a non-uniform day. The hallways were full with hearts, teddy bears, flowers, and flirty dresses.

Harmony and Tobias led the crowd of couples; after the blonde girl spread the news about them, they were the number one cutest couple in the school, as told by the mysterious blogger on the school's website. Everyone was rooting for them; it was slightly depressing when 14 year old girls gave them love advice. But they had genuine feelings for each other; nothing could change that.

* * *

"Single forever!" Amber pouted. "I dressed up for nothing!" She said, admiring her ensemble: a magenta shirt-dress, gold bangles, and matching sandals. Instead of straightening her hair, Amber opted for her natural waves. To say she looked good was an understatement.

Meanwhile, Ryan wasn't having that level of success.

"As long as you don't steal my boyfriend, I don't care," Ryan smirked as she tried on a pink tank top. She made a face, turning around.

"Well, at least I don't look like a bloated Pepto-Bismol."

"At least I have a boyfriend."

"Touché."

"Amber, why are we even pretending to be something we're not?" Ryan asked Amber, throwing on a pair of ripped jeans, a pair of gloves, and high-heeled booties.

"What are you talking about? We called this truce, in order to deal with the mystery. And as soon as this is over, we'll go back to being archenemies and fighting for the Queen Bee status."

Ryan tied her long hair into a ponytail. "But what's the point of fighting in the first place?" She said. "I don't even want to be Queen Bee, or whatever the hell that means. I'm just a tough girl, just wanting to graduate high school and get back to America—back to Kale."

"Ryan, have you checked Apophis's website? People love you—for what reason, I have no clue. But we're tied, and I'm not giving up my hard-earned status."

"Can't I just drop out of the race?" Ryan asked. "I really don't want to be in this, and you want to win."

"Nope—the only way you can get out of the race is if you die or transfer schools. Looks like we're stuck…but remember this; we're not friends or even frienemies. So, don't think this is over." And Amber studied Ryan's outfit with a critical eye. "Not bad; keep the pink tank top and throw a leather jacket over it. But lose the jeans for lame leggings—you're the only girl that can pull that off…well, except for Georgina Sparks. Your hair is too frizzy; straighten it with my sleek shampoo and conditioner. And if you're going on a date with Alfie, don't even think about wearing high heels. He'll ruin them by stepping on your feet—I have first-hand experience," She giggled. "Try combat boots."

"Thanks, I guess," Ryan remarked, before falling silent.

Amber faked a smile before leaving.

* * *

"Valentine's Day, mate," Jerome sighed. "The day where guys empty out their wallets."

"You've got that right. How much have you spent?" Alfie asked.

"Well, to get away from Stalker Ez, I rented a room. Also, I promised David and Aaron the room. Mara is also keeping tabs on her parents, trying to get an agreement of sorts. This is going to be a rocky Valentine's Day."

"I'll drink to that; Ryan and Amber have a truce. But do you really think it's going to last?"

"With a Queen Bee position and a boyfriend on the line, I don't think so."

"Nins? Where are you?" Harmony whispered as she entered an abandoned classroom. It was dark, and she couldn't see a thing. A hand clamped over Harmony's mouth. She attempted to scream, but Nina shushed her.

"H, it's okay. But I have news," Nina whispered, letting go of Harmony. "I'm going to…lose it, today."

"Are you ready? Well, that was a stupid question; I've seen you guys on the verge of—"

"Okay, that's enough," Nina blushed. "And I have planned the perfect Valentine's Day."

"Oh, there's a problem. Tobias and I will need the room tonight. I've already cleared it with Amber, but…"

"Tonight?" Nina raised an eyebrow. "H, aren't you rushing? You and Tobias just got together."

"Actually, we had sex at the club, but it wasn't the sex that made us realize our feelings." Harmony admitted. "We connected after you locked Patricia, Eddie, and me in the dining room. He caught me drinking my sorrows away. That's when we officially started secretly dating. Something just…blossomed. Nins, he's different than Adam."

"H, I know he's different than Adam. But Adam almost killed you. You can't just recover from that. Maybe you should tell Tobias about Adam."

"Why? He won't love-I mean-like me if he knows that," Harmony admitted.

"If he truly likes you, he'll understand." Nina said.

"Have you told Fabian about how Adam got you hooked on drugs?" Harmony questioned. "If you tell Fabian, I'll tell Tobias. Plus, Evan can't hold this over your head."

Nina was silent. "Actually, I told Fabian about my addiction a long time ago. H, just tell Tobias. If he thinks differently of you, he's a jerk, and you should forget him."

* * *

Joy and Caleb were ranked as the fourth cutest couple to look for during Valentine's Day. Surprisingly, most Anubis students were in the top ten.

Joy and Caleb were extremely envied; before school, they biked on the trails, posing for pictures. He dropped her off at class, presenting her with flowers. For lunch, he took her into town and into a beautiful café. And for dinner, he relieved Trudy by either cooking himself or bringing in his staff.

Joy was at a water fountain, talking to a classmate when Evan suddenly appeared and grabbed her elbow. Wordlessly, he led her to a classroom.

"What the hell do you want, Evan?" Joy showed, adjusting her dress. Her glossy, chestnut hair was held back by a headband. She was wearing heels, so she was just a few inches shorter than Evan.

_Though angry as hell, Joy still looked beautiful, Evan noted._

"I thought you should know that Caleb," Evan paused, hating his name, "Caleb is a backstabber."

"What are you talking about? Caleb isn't like you! He's charming, sweet, and—"

"I saw him…with someone," Evan softly said, handing Joy his iPhone. A picture of Caleb shoving his tongue down a girl's throat was on the screen. Joy slowly took the phone into her hands and examined the picture. A few tears slipped down her face.

"This is obviously Photo-Shopped," Joy sniffled. "Their faces are too close together."

"You can't Photo-Shop a Polaroid," Evan whispered.

Joy shoved his phone back at him. "Just leave me alone, Evan," She said, her voice growing soft and pleading. Joy attempted to leave, but Evan pulled her back. Evan cradled her as she sobbed.

If anyone had walked in, they would have seen two teens having a heart-to-heart moment.

* * *

David and Aaron strolled down the hallway, hand in hand. They had forgiven each other earlier in the day. David was wearing a pair of red skinny jeans, a blazer, and a nice pair of shoes. Aaron was less elaborate and wore a pair of regular jeans, a button-down, and Converse. He hadn't shaven in a while, which was driving David crazy in both an OCD and turn-me-on way. And to get his mind out of the gutter, David was blabbering about his English project.

"It turns out, she gave me," David paused, realizing Aaron wasn't listening. "A pink zebra named Lula."

"What?" Aaron said, almost knocking over a classmate. He apologized before turning to a chuckling David. "Okay, I know I wasn't listening, but I was still thinking about the scars, David."

David's smile disappeared. "I told you, Aaron," He sternly said. "Drop it."

"David, you can't just forget I saw them!" Aaron replied, stopping in front of David's locker. "You need help."

David slammed his locker shut. "Goddamnit, Aaron! I am not crazy or need some shrink's help. I only do that sometimes. It's not a problem."

"David, you rarely eat. You have an eating disorder and a cutting problem. Please, let me take you to a psychologist. David, I'm begging you," He said when he saw David's hesitant expression.

"Goodbye, Aaron," David whispered as he walked away without a backwards glance.

Aaron watched painfully David walk away. "No," He said to himself. "I can't lose him." He pulled his phone out. "Dad? Could you get Ms. Patterson? Tonight?"

* * *

Patricia was checking off her to-do list for tonight when Eddie entered the lounge. She hid the screen as he smiled and neared her.

"Hello, Yacker," He said, kissing her. Then, he noticed her hidden screen. He smirked. "What's that? The agenda for tonight?"

Patricia blushed. "Maybe, goofball. Do you have our reservations?"

"Well, maybe not…" Eddie trailed off.

"Maybe? Eddie, what happened?"

"Well, I might have not made the reservations in time. I thought I could make them today!"

"Today? Eddie, it's the most famous holiday in the world! Most people make reservations months in advance! Slimeball!"

"Well, I'm not 'most people'. Yacker, Caleb said he would cook for us."

"…Eddie, Joy's going to break up with Caleb; he cheated on her."

"…How about McDonald's?" He sheepishly asked.

Patricia facepalmed herself.

* * *

As soon as school let out, the students rushed back to their rooms, excited to start a weekend with their significant other. Mara ran into her room and grabbed her suitcase from under her bed. She flung open her door, but stopped in her tracks.

"Ezra, what are you doing here?" Mara asked.

"I wanted to see how you were doing." Ezra attempted to smile. Then, he spotted her suitcase. "Going somewhere?"

Mara coughed, trying to make up a lie. Usually, members of Sibuna made up lies quickly. But sadly, she was only in the club for about four months. "Um, Nina is spending a night out with Fabian. She gave me her suitcase, and I'm supposed to drop it off." Mara smiled, trying to sidestep him.

"Why do you have to drop it off?" Ezra questioned, getting in her way again.

"Because I'm a good friend," Mara shouted, pushing him out of the way.

"Just admit that you're spending the night with Jerome," Ezra shouted.

"It's none of your business!" Mara snapped. "Ez, I really don't like who you've become."

"I'm trying to protect you; I'm starting to agree with Mom and Dad. Jerome isn't the best guy for you. How about Nate Hastings? Or Harold Fitzgerald, though his name sounds like a nursery rhyme—"

"Don't you get it?!" Mara exploded. "You haven't experienced true love! You don't know how I feel about Jerome! You want your trust fund? You want money?" Mara asked, dropping her suitcase and walking over to her purse. She pulled out bundles of bills. She practically shoved the bills at him, tears streaming down her face. "Here, you asshole! Does this make you happy?"

The door opened and Jerome entered. "Is everything okay, Mara?" He raised an eyebrow, looking between Mara and Ezra.

Mara forced a smile. "Better than ever." And she pushed past both of the stunned men, carrying her suitcase with her head held high.

* * *

Patricia leaned back, her head hitting the leather seat. "I just can't believe we just ate McDonald's on Valentine's Day and had sex in the parking lot," She giggled.

"And in Nina's Mustang, no doubt," Eddie laughed. "You know, she's going to kill us, right?"

"And I'll just tell her that it is payback for cockblocking us about a million times," Patricia laughed. "I love you, Eddie."

"I love you too, Yacker."

* * *

"I wonder where my car went," Nina questioned as she inspected the garage.

"Maybe someone stole it?" Harmony joked. "Ready to get pampered? I'm ready to prepare the virgin for her deflowering night."

"Do you have to make fun of my sex life?" Nina complained, blushing.

"Or _lack_ of," Harmony remarked.

Nina rolled her eyes. "Okay, what do you have?"

Harmony smirked. "Come upstairs, darling. Join the dark side."

The girls ran upstairs to their room. Harmony ducked under her bed and revealed three Victoria's Secret bags with a devilish grin.

"I'm officially terrified," was Nina's only comment.

"Oh, stop being a wuss!" Harmony rolled her eyes before emptying the bags onto her bed. "Okay, you get to choose first."

Nina's hand moved towards the "safe" lingerie, and Harmony swatted her hand away.

"Those are my mother's PJs," Harmony said seriously before breaking out into a grin. "Come on, pick something daring!"

"I'm not that daring, for Pete's sake! I've been a prude since before Evan and I dated!"

"So what? You've survived addiction, got into an awesome boarding school, and managed to score a hot boyfriend. You, my friend, have come a long way," Harmony announced. "And to celebrate that, I think you should wear the red one."

"This red one? The red ensemble that can be mistaken as string?" Nina questioned, holding up the red outfit with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure!" Harmony nodded.

Nina surveyed the other outfits before deciding on a black corset. "There—that's the lowest I'm sinking."

Harmony rolled her eyes. "Fine—I'll take the red one. Here, wear this over it, so he won't get suspicious and ruin the surprise," She handed Nina a pair of leggings, a button-down shirt, and a pair of booties.

"All right," She said and began to pull her hair into a ponytail. Harmony swatted her hand away. "Must you always do that?"

"You are _not _throwing your hair into a ponytail. While your first time might be awkward, you should try and be hot as hell for him. And you are going for wild waves and volume. You're going to knock his socks off!"

* * *

David's eyes were glued to the skin as he munched the bowl of popcorn. It was _The Notebook_, typical for Valentine's Day.

He had a boyfriend and an empty room (which he won by playing poker)—why wasn't he enjoying his night with him? Well, Aaron just had to be a stubborn mule about his scars! Why couldn't he just forget about it?

As Allie and Noah devoured each other's faces, someone knocked at his door.

"Come in," He called.

No one answered.

David got up and opened the door. "What the—"

There was an iPad with text on the screen.

_Scavenger hunt! Follow the clues! Go to the place where I shouted from the "rooftops" how much I loved you._

Smiling, he assumed all was forgiven and left with iPad in hand.

* * *

For their first Valentine's Day, Alfie rented out of the gym for two hours and hired a DJ, along with a personal chef.

"I didn't know you could dance," Alfie asked Ryan as he led her to the dance floor.

"Well, I was part of a dance team before I got sent to juvie," Ryan admitted, swaying to the beat.

Alfie raised an eyebrow. "Impressive—you should join the team here," He added.

Ryan blushed, "I don't think so, Alfie."

Alfie lifted her chin and looked deep into her eyes. "Ryan, you're one of the most beautiful and talented girls I've ever met. Don't ever second-guess yourself."

Ryan smiled, laying her head on his shoulder. "You know when to say the right things at the right time," She remarked, kissing him on the cheek. "Hey?"

"What?"

"Happy Valentine's Day."

* * *

Jerome and Mara had eaten dinner, watched _Crazy, Stupid, Love_, and had sex twice. To most couples, that was an amazing night. But it wasn't for them.

They sat in the bed, awkward tension between the two. Ever since the Ezra incident, Mara hadn't talked about it—only jumping into sex. Most guys would have loved that, but that wasn't the Mara Jerome knew and loved.

"All right, what the hell happened?"

"Stop," Mara whimpered, turning over. "Let's not talk about it."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"I'll be here for you," He said, kissing her hand.

She didn't respond, and that only fueled Jerome's hatred for Ezra. He'd never seen Mara so broken.

His broken angel.

* * *

Fabian looked over at Nina, whom was watching the move intently.

Fabian had set up a movie in the middle of the woods, also with a picnic. It was a normal, comfortable date for them.

But little did he know, that was about to change.

Nina was freaking out inside. She could hear the clock ticking—she had to make a move and fast.

She turned and pulled him into a blistering kiss, immediately wrapping her legs around his waist. Though surprised, he reciprocated, and the makeout progressed quickly-especially when she revealed her lingerie.

"Wait, are you ready?" He asked when they pulled away, breathless.

Nina nodded, biting her lip before they fell backwards.

* * *

**So, what is Aaron planning? That'll be revealed later, along with pillow talk between Harmony/Tobias and Fabina. Sorry if it was rushed and short-I had to get it ****up by 7/16/2013.**

**I didn't get a chance to proofread as much, so sorry for any mistakes! :D**

**Sorry, again!**

**-Morgan, xoxo**


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